If You Want to Understand the Bible, You Need More Than a Verse a Day
I grew up in the church, but I didn’t learn how to truly study my Bible until my early twenties.
For years, I read Scripture on and off, yet no one had ever shown me how to really engage with it. Questioning it in any way felt inherently wrong. My time in the Word ebbed and flowed because I felt intimidated by it, as if I were missing something everyone else seemed to understand. I longed to know it, not just read it.
Ironically, it wasn’t until college, as a theology major, that I was finally introduced the exciting world of proper Bible study.
Reading the Bible Is Good. Studying It Is Life-Changing.
Many of us were taught how to read the Bible, but not how to study it.
We learned how to open it. We learned how to highlight verses. We learned how to find encouragement.
But we were rarely taught how to understand what we were reading.
And yet what we believe about God shapes how we live, how we endure hardship, how we make decisions, and how we walk faithfully with Him. Don’t just take my word for it though…take His:
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. -Colossians 3:16
A verse a day can encourage the heart. But taking the time to read and study it is not only freeing but formational!
God’s Word was never meant to be skimmed or sampled. It invites us to slow down, ask the questions, and grow in discernment and understanding over time. Will we have every question answered on this side of heaven? By no means. But God welcomes them, and He uses them to draw us nearer to Himself. For He wastes no thing.
You Don’t Need a Seminary Degree to Understand Scripture
You do not need formal training to open God’s Word. But you are responsible for what you believe.
Agree or disagree: You are a theologian.
You might be tempted to disagree, but you would be wrong to land there.
Every believer is a theologian, whether they realize it or not.
Every time we read Scripture, listen to a teaching, scroll social media, or hear someone speak about God, our understanding of Him is being shaped.
Consuming teachings about God apart from Scripture is not wrong. Prioritizing it above Scripture or neglecting Scripture altogether is. When we rely on the wisdom of man instead of drawing near to God through His Word, we will be easily led astray. Only God can give us the wisdom and understanding we need to discern what is faithful and true.
As you consider this, I encourage you to ask yourself: Are my beliefs being shaped by God’s Word or by assumptions and teachings I have picked up along the way?
My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…
-Proverbs 2:1-6 (ESV)
God is not hiding His truth from His people. He delights in revealing Himself through His Word. What He wants us to know will be made known to us as we root ourselves in the holy, infallible pages of our Bibles. Praise God!
Scripture Was Written to Be Read in Context
The Bible was not written in snippets. It was written in books, letters, and stories meant to be read together.
When we isolate verses, we risk:
Missing the author’s intent
Misapplying God’s promises
Making Scripture about ourselves instead of about God
Context matters. Always.
Understanding Scripture means asking good questions:
Who wrote this and to whom?
Why was this written?
What is happening before and after this passage?
What does this teach me about God?
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[a] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. -2 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. -Acts 17:11 (ESV)
This is where Scripture begins to come alive. Not just as encouragement, but as formation.
Let God’s Word Speak First
Secondary resources like commentaries, study Bibles, and dictionaries can be wonderful tools. They help illuminate historical background, language, and cultural context.
But they should never replace Scripture.
God’s Word is infallible. Human commentary is not.
We would be wise to always begin with Scripture itself, asking God’s Word to speak to us before turning to outside voices.
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
-Psalm 19:8-9 (ESV)
Bible Study Is a Slow and Faithful Work
The goal of Bible study is not the quick pursuit of answers. It is not a sprint, but a lifelong marathon.
It is the steady practice of showing up, planting ourselves in truth, and allowing God’s Word to shape us from the inside out.
Scripture does not rush us. It forms us patiently, faithfully, and deeply.
Understanding the Bible is not about mastering information. It is about being shaped by truth over time.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. -John 17:17 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. -Romans 12:2 (ESV)
You Are Invited to Grow Deep in God’s Word
If you have ever longed to understand the Bible more deeply but did not know where to start, I want to invite you to get Rooted, my free five-day how-to Bible study email series.
Thousands of women have already walked through Rooted and learned how to study the Bible with clarity and confidence. I would love for you to be next!
Rooted is designed to help you:
approach Scripture with confidence
read in context
ask the right questions
build a faithful study rhythm
If you are longing to grow deep in God’s Word, I would be honored to walk with you!
Sign up here to get started today!
Meet the Author
Elle Cardel
Elle is a sinner saved by God’s grace. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Michael, and their two little loves, Selah (4) and Aidan (1). Elle is the founder of Daughter of Delight and the author of She Delights and its accompanying Bible study, which you can find here.
With a degree in biblical theology, Elle is passionate about helping women grow in their love for God’s Word through the Daughter of Delight podcast (currently on an extended break but there are so many episodes to enjoy in the meantime here), daily devotionals, and free biblical resources (find those here).
