Friends, we want to know, love, and serve God with all of our hearts. We want to hear His voice and walk in step with Him. We want to endure well, be faithful, grow, and flourish in the Kingdom of God, right? Well, we can’t know God and be close to Him the way He longs for us to without reading His book!
Bible study is vital for both men and women, of course, but I want to talk about why it matters for us girls.
The Bible is the Holy book of God, the living Word that continues to speak and instruct, correct and encourage, and studying it can help us grow in our faith, deepen our understanding of God, and develop a deeper and sweeter relationship with Him.
Why?
To Understand How Much Jesus Loves Women
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — records of Christ’s life and teachings) show us again and again that Jesus loved women in a day and age when women were considered property, without rights, without voices. No wonder women flocked to the Savior… He loves and values women as important in the Kingdom of God!
To Understand God’s Plan for Women
The Bible has so many examples of women who played vital roles in God’s plan. When we study the Bible, we can learn about the lives of these women, their faith, their stories, and the impact they had on not only their communities and nation, but on the future. From Esther, who risked her life to save her people, to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was chosen to bring the Son of God into the world, the Bible is full of inspiring stories of women who trusted God and followed His plan.
To Gain Wisdom and Knowledge
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. — Proverbs 1:7
When we study the Bible, we grow spiritually. We gain His wisdom which helps us every day of our lives to avoid pitfalls and stay on the right path. The Bible contains not only practical advice (see Proverbs) on how to live a godly and smart life within God’s loving boundaries, it also shows us how to love and serve others so we become more like Jesus. We learn how to handle difficulty, injustice, endure suffering, persevere. Studying the Bible teaches us to be wise and discerning and to make wise and careful decisions in every single area of our lives.
To Find Hope and Encouragement
Life is hard. Life is painful. Life kicks us around and knocks us down, doesn’t it? Along with beauty and joy, you and I face struggles and difficulties all the time. But, the Bible offers us hope and encouragement in our troubles and traumas. In the Bible, we find comfort, strength, and hope in the stories of others, the words of Jesus, the teachings of Paul and others, and the promises of God. Studying the Bible continually reminds us to stay connected to our source of strength, our anchor, our hope for the future.
To Gain Insight into Our Purpose
Really, we have no idea what things we’re “supposed” to do for the Kingdom of God until He directs us. We might know what we want to do with our lives — like nursing, or sports, or writing, or engineering, or music — but we have to learn from God how to glorify Him with the gifts and talents He’s given us. When we study the Bible, we learn how to flow with Him in wisdom and grace, peace and generosity.
To Understand and Thrive in Our Identity
The Bible is our manual for learning our identity and finding our place in this world and the next. So many of us women struggle with questions about our worth, value, and purpose in life. When we dig into the Word of God, we gain insight into what God says about us, that He loves us more than we could ever possibly understand, that we have unmeasurable worth exactly as we are, and that we have unique gifts and talents that He wants us to use. Our hearts can be transformed by reading the Bible, studying the Bible, and leaning into the words of Jesus. We gain confidence and self-esteem…
To Build Meaningful Relationships with Other Believers
Bible study is an incredible way to find our people, our friends. We were made for community. We need sisters to do life with and Christian sisters who love the Lord and His Word are worth their weight in gold! We need other women who understand our struggles and let us know that we’re not alone in our experiences. In Bible study groups, we can find a team of people, a supportive community where we can share our joys and sorrows, get and give encouragement and counsel, and pray with and for one another.
To Develop a Deeper Relationship with God
Most importantly and ultimately, the goal of studying the Bible is… Him. Jesus. We want to know Him, learn from Him, get close to Him, and become like Him. We learn to hear the voice of God, are shaped by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and follow Him. We learn relationship with God and grow in love and dependence upon Him.
We women often juggle many roles and responsibilities, right? We care for our families or friends. We pursue careers. We take care of our homes, cars, laundry, prepare meals, and all the “daily grind” of life and it’s sometimes overwhelming to do it all and find balance. Add kids into the mix and it gets better, but also harder, busier. That’s when it’s even more important to prioritize Bible study. We need to rely on God, hear from Him, get answers and peace from Him, tell Him our wants and needs, confess, lament… and on and on. God is our source. He loves us and wants us to live and walk in His power, not our own. It’s like on an airplane, they tell us to put our mask on first before helping others. We need to commune with the Holy Spirit, be filled, listen, and learn before we go out and pour out to our families, friends, neighbors, and colleagues!
It's not selfish to fiercely guard our Bible study time, it’s smart! If we want to be prayer warriors and women of faith and wisdom, Bible study is where it’s at!
The Bible teaches us God’s values (He is love.), gives us comfort, guides us, and inspires us. It’s alive and has depth beyond what we could ever understand. If we studied it every day of our lives, we’d still be learning new things and growing and we’d realize we’ve barely begun to digest it all. Let’s get into it every day and find strength and hope!
RESOURCES
Watch a video study on StudyGateway.
Ten Tips for Studying Your Bible
Jesus and Women Bible Study Watch List
Women's Bible Study Teachers You Should Know
Our Top 5 Men's Bible Studies With FREE Videos to Watch Now
Everything to know about Bible Study
Is a Devotional Bible Right for You?
Where to Start Reading the Bible, with Verses and Tips!
Check out the Chronological Study Bible