For the most part, right now, I have stopped reading my Bible.
It is a petty, passive aggressive way to handle what feels like God’s silence, and it is not the response I’d exactly recommend.
It is, however, my present truth.
Photo Credit: Flickr User net_efekt, Creative Commons
This seems like one of the things I’m not supposed to say out loud, not supposed to admit to people, much less put out there on the Internet.
But I can’t help thinking I must not be the only one.
I can’t be the only one who, while still believing the words, has stopped reading them for a time.
Not because of some tragedy that’s left you staggering and doubting, but because a gentle weariness has set in, and it feels too much to keep repeating the same thing over and over when it seems that nothing changes.
Because even when you believe in the words, their meaning can go missing. Not lost in a broad sense, but misplaced, at least by you, at least for a time.
Eventually I’ll read those pages again, as I always seem to, but I am done beating myself up for setting them aside for a time. While giving up on reading my Bible entirely might be cause for alarm, I am not ready to admit that, by failing to regularly read my Bible for a stretch of time, I have fallen short in any way greater than I do each day as it is.
I’ll make my way back, just maybe not today.
Til next time…
~Brianna!~
p.s. Have you ever stopped reading the Bible?
The Art of Becoming 
The dry times are what give us strength in the long run. Many great heroes of our faith have commented that as their faith grew deeper God seemed quieter and more distant. They learned that he was calling them deeper, to silence and prayer, to a relationship not based on emotion but deep love and reverence.
That being said, I know how much that time sucks. I have wandered in the desert many times, and it is never fun.
My advice is don’t quit, dig deep.
Great reminder. There’s certainly things we can learn in the dry seasons, but you’re right that they are not fun. Thanks for reading!
Yes I’ve stopped reading the bible for long stretches. But I seem to never lose my hunger and thirst for God and Jesus. So usually, when I’m not reading the bible, I’m reading some good Christian nonfiction book. Or like now, where I’m spending my time writing. Good luck.
That’s where I am too, C.J. I’ve mostly stopped reading the Bible, but certainly have not stopped wanting more of God. Thanks for stopping by.
Remember, the Bible is His letter to us. So when he seems silent, this is the one place you can ALWAYS find out more about Him 🙂 Praying you find what you’re searching for. ❤
I went through a season where I stopped reading in my early 20s. I actually thought the whole thing was prompted by God, and in retrospect I believe that even more strongly. I felt very alone and confused at the time, but 10 years later I can see a lot more clearly. The way that I had been pouring over the Bible for the 7 years prior had lead me to a place where I read the Bible with so much certainty and so completely out of context that it was doing more harm than good. I remember initially finding God in historical Christian fiction during that time. I don’t know the intricate details surrounding why you stopped reading, but I do sincerely believe that God can lead us to a place where that can be His plan for you. He certainly used that season in my life to help me grow immensely.
I so appreciate you sharing your story, Leslie. It’s such a great reminder that God can redeem even seasons in our lives where it seems like we’re far from him. Thank you for reading and for taking the time to comment.
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