Do You Enjoy Personal Study?
ANY sincere servant of God would be delighted to devote a good amount of time to personal Bible study. (Psalm 1:1, 2) Yet, feeling great demands on their time and strength, many find it hard to spend as much time and energy on personal study as they would like.
However, in order to carry on as active servants of God, all need to have their joy and strength renewed from day to day by finding new or deeper aspects of the truth of God’s Word. The Bible truths that deeply moved you years ago may not be moving you as much now. Hence, it is good, even vital, that we make a conscious and constant effort to gain fresh insight into the truth so as to keep ourselves spiritually stimulated.
How did ancient men of faith make themselves spiritually strong through personal study of God’s Word? How do some of the modern-day servants of Jehovah make their study more enjoyable as well as fruitful? How have they been rewarded for their efforts?
They Renewed Their Strength Through Personal Study
King Josiah of Judah undertook his campaign against idolatry with even greater zeal after having ‘the very book of Jehovah’s law by the hand of Moses’ read to him. No doubt that was not the first time that he had considered this portion of the Word of God; but hearing the message directly from the original manuscript spurred him on in his battle for pure worship.—2 Chronicles 34:14-19.
The prophet Daniel discerned ‘the number of the years for fulfilling the devastations of Jerusalem’ and its certainty not just from the book of Jeremiah but also from “the books.” These most likely included such books as Leviticus (26:34, 35), Isaiah (44:26-28), Hosea (14:4-7), and Amos (9:13-15). What he confirmed through his diligent study of the Bible books led this devout man to seek God in fervent prayer. His earnest petition was answered with further revelation and reassurance with regard to the city of Jerusalem as well as his people.—Daniel, chapter 9.
Josiah, who did “what was right in Jehovah’s eyes,” and Daniel, who was “someone very desirable” in the sight of God, were not basically different from us today. (2 Kings 22:2; Daniel 9:23) Their personal efforts in the way of highly motivated study of the Scriptures available at the time led them to greater spirituality and helped them enjoy stronger ties with God. The same can be said of many other ancient servants of Jehovah, such as Jephthah, a psalmist of the house of Asaph, Nehemiah, and Stephen. All of these gave evidence of careful personal study of the portion of the Bible that was available in their time.—Judges 11:14-27; Psalms 79, 80; Nehemiah 1:8-10; 8:9-12; 13:29-31; Acts 6:15–7:53.
Let the Ministry Be an Incentive
Most servants of Jehovah today who have served him for many years have a schedule for personal Bible study. They have found this essential in order to stay awake and fully meet their Christian responsibilities. Even so, many of them admit that it is not always easy to balance the use of their time and energy between study and other matters that should not be neglected.
Still, staying spiritually alert through diligent personal study is essential in dealing with the needs in the Christian ministry at this advanced stage of worldwide Kingdom-preaching work. Those who are thrilled by fresh and deeper insights into the Word of God can meet the challenge of touching hungering hearts. This is true whether one is assigned where big catches in the way of spiritual fishing can be expected or one is persevering in well-worked territories where general indifference prevails.
Regularly Feed on God’s Word
What others are doing may give you ideas on how you could enjoy your study routine more or how you and your family could make more rewarding use of study time. Among the things that a servant of God will not want to miss is reading God’s Word itself on a regular basis. Many have made it a goal to read a minimum of three to four chapters of the Bible each week. Do you want to read the entire Bible in one year? Then you will be happy to spend more time reading it, perhaps half an hour a day.
Have you read through the Bible more than once? Why not set a new goal next time? For a change, one Christian woman read the Bible books according to the order in which they were written. She captured many details, based on chronological background, that she had missed before. Another Christian woman has read the Bible from cover to cover five times over the past five years, each time from a different perspective. The first time, she read it straight through. During the second reading, she summarized the content of each chapter in one or two lines in a notebook. From the third year on, she switched to a large-size reference edition, first selectively checking cross-references in the margin and then paying closer attention to the footnotes as well as to the appendix information. The fifth time, she used Bible maps to increase understanding from the geographical aspect. She says: “For me, Bible reading became as enjoyable as having a meal.”
Some eager students of the Bible have found it beneficial to have a copy of the Bible used only for personal study, noting briefly in its margins interesting comments, thought-provoking illustrations, or the page numbers of other publications to which they can refer later. One full-time minister deems it a pleasure at the end of each month to write in her study copy new points that she has learned during the month. “Looking forward to these valued hours of mine,” she says, “helps me attain other goals for the month sooner.”
Some Ingenious Ideas
Do you feel that your schedule is filled with daily and weekly musts and that you need some hints for better use of your limited time? Well, have with you what you intend to read, and utilize your leisure moments. At home or where you normally study, to the extent reasonably possible arrange books and other study tools so that they are easy to reach. Make your study corner cozy but not so comfortable that you become drowsy. Do you have a talk assignment? Read through the material at the earliest possible occasion, then let ideas come to you when you are resting or doing odd jobs.
Others may cooperate with you in making better use of time for mutual benefit. For example, you may have someone read light items aloud to you while you are doing chores or serving tea to your kind reader. How about all in the home agreeing to a time of quiet for personal study? “What have you enjoyed reading lately?” At times you may be able to tap what your friends have learned by striking up a conversation this way.
Are you interested in introducing some fresh ideas to your study program? You can set a time goal for study the same way many set a time goal for talking about the Bible to others. A full-time (pioneer) publisher sets a monthly minimum goal for hours of study and delights as she sees her goal chart filling up. Others limit time for television watching and in that way secure time for study. Many choose a study theme that they pursue for some time, such as the fruits of the spirit, background of Bible books, or art of teaching. Some enjoy making chronological charts, such as ones that show the relation between Israelite kings and prophetsa or Acts of Apostles and the Pauline letters.
Young ones, do you want stronger faith? Why not pick a publication for thorough study during your next school vacation? A baptized high school student selected Mankind’s Search for God, a book published by the Watch Tower Society. Chapter by chapter, she made brief summaries in a notebook of what she learned. It was challenging and took more time than she had thought. However, when she finished the entire book, she was overwhelmed by the truthfulness of the Bible’s message.
Be Ever Eager to Learn
A great many modern-day faithful servants of Jehovah already have “plenty to do in the work of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) Even with a reviewed schedule and sincere endeavors, the routine you follow in a typical week may not change greatly. Yet, unfailing eagerness on your part to gain a deeper understanding of the truth and to keep yourself fully attuned to the unfolding of Jehovah’s purposes will make a difference.
It is encouraging to hear the rewards of those who have improved their study pattern. One Christian man, realizing he was losing a positive attitude toward seeking a deeper understanding of the truth, organized his life so that he could devote more of his free hours to personal study. “It has brought me delight that I did not know before,” he says. “With ever-growing confidence in the Bible’s divine authorship, I find I can talk to others about my faith with real enthusiasm. I feel I am well nourished, spiritually sound, and content at the end of each day.”
A traveling overseer of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who visits many congregations, described other benefits in this way: “Those who are diligent in personal study are generally lively and vivid in their expressions. They get along better with others, and they are not easily swayed by negative remarks from others. When in the field ministry, they are adaptable as well as alert to the needs of the people they meet.”
He adds a point that some may wish to keep in mind when they analyze their own study pattern. “At meetings for Scriptural discussions, many tend to read their comments right from the printed page. They would benefit more if they would meditate on how the material is related to what they have previously learned or to their own lives.” Do you think you could improve in this respect?
The prophet Daniel, after well over 90 years of life, did not feel he understood enough of the ways of Jehovah. In his final years, he asked regarding a matter he could not fully grasp: “O my lord, what will be the final part of these things?” (Daniel 12:8) No doubt this unchanging eagerness to learn more of God’s truth was a key to his superb integrity throughout the eventful course of his life.—Daniel 7:8, 16, 19, 20.
Each one of Jehovah’s servants has no less responsibility to stand firm as one of His Witnesses. Be ever eager to learn to keep yourself spiritually strong. Try to add one or two new features to your weekly, monthly, or yearly personal study schedule. See how God will bless any small effort that you make. Yes, enjoy your personal Bible study and the results it brings.—Psalm 107:43.
[Footnotes]
a As a basis for your enlarged study, you may like to use the chart found in Insight on the Scriptures, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., Volume 1, pages 464-6.