What To Do When You Don't Understand Or Like Something In The Bible

Feb 15

Okay, first of all, let me just put out there that is okay to not like something the Bible says.

I know, I know. Good Christian girls aren’t supposed to say that, but let’s just put it out there. It happens. The Bible is an ancient text that has things that just don’t translate into our modern culture, it’s true. And that historical distance creates tension and confusion in us that seriously needs to be addressed.

I think we need to ask the hard questions and get real with our faith instead of faking it, not understanding it, and keeping it superficial. And I think when we get real and raw and honest about our faith, that’s when big things start to happen.

So I’m going to sit here and write this and get real with you.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

Let’s be real.

There are things in the Bible that I don’t understand and things that I don’t even like.

I had to explain that to my small group the other day as I struggled to teach a passage that was hard.

I don’t understand everything about God. Some things in the Bible offend me and make me a little angry at first.

But you know what?

I still trust God. I know He is good, and I know the Bible is God-breathed because I have experienced it. Therefore, since I know God is good and the Bible is His Word, I know that what the Bible says is good….even if I don’t quite understand how.

But this is something else I know: when I understand what it was ACTUALLY saying, I completely 100% agreed with it.In other words, when I get down into the context, dig deep into the original Hebrew/Greek text, and truly seek the Truth, a plethora of information awakens within the Bible, and I can truly understand exactly what it means.

And, so far, I have never come across an instance where I flat-out disagree with the Bible and didn’t like it after I did the work to find out what it was really saying.

Just because I don’t understand something doesn’t make it wrong. Just because it makes me mad doesn’t make it wrong. IT MAKES ME HUMAN.

You see, I’ve learned that it’s okay to not understand the Bible or to even be mad at what it says. BUT IT’S NOT OKAY TO STAY THERE!

I’ve learned to push into my discomfort and do the hard work of digging. I research the literal translation, the Hebrew/Greek words, the context, commentaries, everything.

I’m allowed to not understand, and I’m allowed to ask hard questions in anger and frustration with God. But I’m not allowed to let my questions and doubts lead me away from God.

There’s a difference.

Because when I don’t understand something, it should always lead me to push in closer to God for answers, not walk away from Him in confusion.

THAT is what the world needs to hear.

The Bible is tough, and it makes you uncomfortable, and it’s sometimes hard to understand.

But when you dig in and find the answer? Man, it’s the best feeling in the world.⠀⠀⠀

Some tips for when you don’t understand/like something in the Bible:

Lean in to your discomfort, and seek the truth. Don’t back out, back down, or back away. Seek the Truth with all your heart, and Truth WILL be found (Jeremiah 29:13).
Ask God for help. He likes it when we come to Him being totally real about what we feel. He likes it when we’re real with Him. We can come to Him mad, confused, frustrated, doubting, everything. He doesn’t want a fake relationship; He wants it all. So ask Him to help you understand.
Dig into the context and the original language. (I teach you the basics of how to do this in my FREE email course, Bible Study Basics, and teach you super in-depth in my ecourse Bible Study Made Easy!).
Keep seeking. Sometimes God shows us something right when we ask Him. Other times, He wants to take us on a journey and will gradually reveal truth to us over a period of time. Just remember, He is good and His timing is perfect. It’s really cool when I’ll write a question into the margin of my Bible and two weeks later, I’ll be reading a random book, and God will answer my question!

I DARE YOU to confront your questions and doubts today, to research, to really dig in. FIND THE ANSWERS.

Like my pastor says, doubt is fine when it leads you to find out but it’s not okay when it leaves you in limbo.

Find out. Do the hard work. Lean into discomfort. And keep trusting God until you are 10000000000% sure that He is wrong (which will never happen if you research right, just sayin💁🏼‍♀️).