When I Don't Want to Read My Bible: Finding Delight in the Discipline of Daily Devotion to God
I wish I could tell you that I always wake up with an insatiable thirst to hear God speaking through His Word, but alas, such a statement would be a lie. I do not always desire God. I do not always hunger to be nourished by God’s commands (Psalm 119:20). Yet, each day, I open my Bible and read, despite what I am feeling at that moment. I do this because it has become a discipline of daily devotion to God.
“ Discipline is the key to cultivating a daily devotion to God that fosters delight in the midst of ever-changing emotions and feelings.”
Delighting in Discipline
In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul admonished Timothy to “discipline himself,” writing, “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” The word translated here as “train” or “discipline,” is the Greek word, gymnaze, from which our English term, “gymnasium,” is derived.
The imagery is that of ancient athletic training to win the prize. The goal is not “discipline” for its own sake, but rather what is gained through the discipline. Like an Olympic athlete who meticulously adheres to a specific diet and follows a strenuous workout regimen to get stronger and faster with the anticipation of winning a glorious victory in their event, we also ought to delight in spiritual discipline because of the promise that it holds out to those who persevere in the training.
“If I cared for my physical health with the same effort that I cared for my spiritual health, what kind of shape would I be in?”
Commenting on the particular use of gymnaze in 1 Timothy, the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis notes, “In contrast to paying attention to “godless myths and old wives’ tales,” Timothy should train himself pros eusebeian, (i.e., he should develop personal godliness); whatever value there may be in hē sōmatikē gymnasia (“physical exercise”), godliness is far more useful, “holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:7–8).”
In other words, there is a parallel between the type of discipline that fosters physical well-being and the type that promotes spiritual well-being. Both take effort and intentionality, but discipline for the purpose of cultivating godliness is “far more useful.” If we would discipline ourselves to eat better and exercise more frequently for the sake of our physical health, how much more should we be concerned with our spiritual health? Maybe a good question to ask ourselves at this point is: if I cared for my physical health with the same effort that I cared for my spiritual health, what kind of shape would I be in?
God-Enabled Delight
Yet, where is the “delight” in this disciplined pursuit of God? I submit that the “delight” is found in the intentional, prayerful pursuit of God in obedience to the command that we see in Psalm 37:4 - “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” As we seek to obey this command to delight ourselves in God, I believe we must pray as the psalmist taught us in Psalm 119.
Consider just a few examples:
Vs. 18 - “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”
Vs. 27-28 - “Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”
Vs. 36-37 - “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”
“Our confidence is not in ourselves but in God.”
While the psalmist confessed his delight in God’s Word, he also acknowledged his need for God. The cultivation of love for God’s Word depended upon God’s divine enablement. It was not simply a matter of force of will, but rather a pleading for God to open his eyes, give him understanding, and stir him to see the beauty of what is truly present in God’s Word. When the training for godliness gets tough, we turn our eyes not to our own willpower and self-determination, but to the One who empowers us.
What to Do When You Don’t Desire His Word
So far, we have seen the need for a disciplined pursuit of God through His Word (1 Timothy 4:7-8) coupled with a prayerful dependence upon God to stir our delight in God (Psalm 34, Psalm 119). Therefore, to close, I want to provide a simple plan for what to do when you don’t desire God’s Word:
Confess your lack of desire for and delight in God, asking for forgiveness and remembering that, in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1)
Ask God to stir your affections for Him, granting you to delight in Him through His Word.
Open your Bible and read until you hear and see by faith the “wonderful things in God’s law.”
To recap the plan, confess your sin of apathy to God, ask Him to stir your affections for Him, and then open and read your Bible in a disciplined pursuit to delight in His Word. Be as thoughtful and as intentional as you would be to address your spiritual health as you would your physical health. In this way, you will find delight in the discipline of daily devotion to God.
Casey B. Hough
Quotable Truth
“I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis of my peace - mark that - yet it will be the channel of it.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Singable Truth
Recommended Resources
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore
A version of this article originally posted on Knowing God Through His Word
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