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“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

The first time I cooked a meal as a newlywed was quite an event.  Did I mention, I had never prepared a meal before?  Yes, you got it – I never cooked growing up so this was a scary first for me. Didn’t even consult a recipe because I thought I could figure it all out.  I’d watched my mom from a glance and it couldn’t be complicated.  So I cooked chicken and mashed potatoes in about 10 minutes just in time to throw in a salad.  Meal looked amazing…..just one problem.  The perfectly browned chicken was raw inside (yuck) and those potatoes were mashed as a result of a lot of muscle.  Awkward didn’t even describe the moment my husband took his first bite.

Getting over my flopped efforts on my first cooked meal convinced me I needed some help.  Consulting recipes, following instructions explicitly, admitting my need for guidance and lots of practice opened wide the door for awkward to eventually slip away.

Trying something new always seems awkward at first.  Bet you’ve experienced it yourself.  Whether it’s tackling knitting with all those balls of yarn,  hitting the tennis court, grabbing the paint brush….I think you get the picture.  Awkward holds the potential for serving us well if we persist and don’t give up.

Grasped this lesson a few years ago.  Bible study was oh so familiar to me.  Watch the video, answer some questions….repeat.  Now don’t get me wrong, those moments were not wasted. God was teaching me through all those venues.  Problem was, I didn’t have a clue how to study the scriptures for myself.  My reliance on others fostered a weakness in me and stunted my spiritual growth.

Searching the Scriptures by Chuck Swindoll was my first intro into really digging deep into the scriptures.  I learned the importance of comprehension, interpretation and application. Common denominators among a lot of other study guides.  Grabbing my Bible, I began a journey of discovery which felt painfully awkward.  My progress seemed forced, hard and challenging.  However, I didn’t give up.  I kept pressing through and gained some great tools for understanding God’s word better.  My new default is to put into practice the new skills I learned first, then consult commentaries or a study Bible.

Awkward will always serve us well when we choose to embrace new and patiently move forward.  I will never regret gaining insight on how to be a stronger student of God’s word.

Maybe you find yourself there too…wondering how to navigate a different way of studying the scriptures or enlarging your prayer life.  Perhaps you’re tackling journaling and those pages seem ever so empty.  Maybe you’re looking up cross references and it seems so complicated.  Perhaps you’re praying in a group and your words seem to be tangled up and messy.   Sweet friend don’t give up.  Keep pressing through and one day your faithfulness will result in ease and spiritual depth beyond your imagination.

“Father, our desire is to understand Your word with renewed passion and understanding.  Guide us as study and put into practice Your truth.  Remove the stigma of awkward and help us to lean into Your Spirit guiding us each step of the way.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life