Have you ever been to an unfamiliar place? It could be a new building, or a new city, just a place that was unfamiliar. Take a moment to imagine yourself somewhere new. Now think about two scenarios. The first one, imagine you are all on your own. And in the second scenario, you have a guide.

We are not alone in navigating God’s gift of His written word. Each word was written by humans but was inspired by God. This means that God, through the Holy Spirit, commissioned human authors to write his Word. Therefore, as we read the Bible, ask His Holy Spirit to speak to you.

This key is the most important by far, but it is also a key we may not understand with our human reasoning. I mean, practically, how does this work? We can usually see, feel, or hear a human guide. Help!

Can I have a guide to help understand our Guide?

John 14:16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you…26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

God has given us His Holy Spirit as our Helper and Guide. As we let this truth wash over and over as we grow in courage and confidence as we read His Word. But it isn’t always the type of understanding we think of. It is an understanding in our spirit by His Spirit. That is why we read and re-read this.

John 16:12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; NASB

Apostle Paul also writes about God’s Spirit helping us in his letters to the churches.

1 Corinthians 2:12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

Hmmm, this seems complicated, but it doesn’t need to be.

Just like our salvation, we are called to believe and receive. God unfolds our understanding of His word little by little. Think of a parent who patiently teaches a child. Do they understand everything right away? No. They just keep taking the steps. They take the steps to the degree they can.

So what is our part?

Show up. Be available for Him to reveal Himself to you.

What does this look like? It’s going to look different for all of us. Repetition is how we learn. Read and re-read the above verses and talk to God.

When we let go of our demand or need to understand everything immediately, we are in a better place to learn and grow.

Each time you open your Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God to you. Keep asking, “What does this show me about You God?”

Stay in a state of prayer, trust, and thanksgiving. Talk to God before you read, while you read, and after you read!

Prayer

Lord, this week, can You help me slow down and make myself available. You have given me a Helper. Help me read and re-read the verses You spoke through the ancient writer John 14:16, 26, and John 16:13.

Listen with your spirit to His Spirit

You can also listen to the audio selection on your Bible app for these verses. Click this link for instructions. ALSO – try recording your own voice reading the Bible on your phone and play it back to yourself. That is a powerful way to soak in Scripture.

Tip:

Ask God to help you make time and space in your heart for His Word. The more we ask God for help and lean on His power. What would our lives look like if we stopped striving to make something happen, turned and said,

“Lord, I trust Your power to get to know You. I release the chokehold expectation of trying to make it happen.”