I am learning patience, comfort, and hope from the Scriptures of God.

Today’s Scripture: Romans 15:4, NKJV- “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Have you ever heard that reading the Bible is hard? Have you experienced this? I know that I have. For years I have started and stopped reading God’s words. I have also spoken to many believers who have either expressed to me their need to read the Bible or simply stated that they tried before but it was too hard due to lack of time or understanding.

Is the Bible a one-time read? Is reading the Bible from beginning to end something on your to-do list? Many people have opened the pages out of a sense of duty, a rite of passage, or even desperation but how many genuinely want to learn?

Whatever our reasoning or needs are, Paul makes the point in Romans 15:4 of why and how we should approach the scriptures. We should desire to learn. Some translations of this scripture state that everything was written to teach or provide instruction.

Today, I am feeling the difference between being taught and learning. Teaching comes from the outside while learning takes place on the inside. When we face testing, we realize the difference between recall and recognition. According to Google AI “Recall is the retrieval of information from memory without cues (e.g., essay exams), while recognition is identifying information as familiar when presented with it (e.g., multiple-choice tests). Recall requires deeper mental effort to generate information, whereas recognition is easier and faster as it relies on external cues to trigger familiarity.”

I find it interesting that this AI answer says it requires a “deeper mental effort.” What Paul is teaching us in Romans 15:4 is that the scriptures require deeper spiritual learning. The Bible transcends mind and emotions and teaches us how to learn from the Holy Spirit of God.

Most of us recognize scriptures. However, we need to hear teachings multiple times to recall them. Even in secular studies Google AI suggests that you need three to seven meaningful exposures for information to transition from short-term to long-term memory. Memory is in the head, so we need many more repetitions to get to our hearts. When Jesus and the apostles stood in the synagogues, they continued to remind everyone  of what the scriptures said from beginning to Jesus.

We must continually read and/or listen to God’s Word to learn perseverance and encouragement that in turn gives us hope in the Almighty. As I began my affirmation of God journey and began to harvest the written words of the Bible in the first person, I began to look at God’s Word as “My” Bible instead of “The” Bible. When I am taking God and His Word personally, I am learning what God intends for me. This is not group think but personal revelation and accountability to God for what He is teaching me. I am not saying, at all, that we do not need to study the Bible corporately because we do. God has gifted and ordained those He intends to teach us. We do need strong Bible-teaching churches to know the fullness of God’s hope.

God also created each of us for His purposes. We must learn our part. As Romans 15:5-6 states “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NKJV)

To be “like-minded” towards others and to glorify God the Father by living like Jesus we must learn daily from God’s Word. What are you learning from your Bible?

Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and for those servants who have answered Your call to teach us. I am asking Your Holy Spirit to help us learn what You desire for each of us. Thank You LORD for teaching us perseverance, granting us comfort, and giving us hope. In the name of our teacher Jesus Christ, we pray and learn. Amen.