What Happens When We Don’t Read Our Bible?

There’s a neighbor who walks her dog almost every day. I can always tell when they’re outside even if I don’t see them because the dog barks like it’s in a barking contest or trying to start a neighborhood war. It pulls on the leash, barks/growls at other people and  pets ( or pretty much everything), and sounds completely out of control.

Every time I see them, it’s the same situation. I’ve often wondered, “Why doesn’t she get that dog trained?”  Then one day, I felt a nudge in my spirit: “That’s what your spiritual life can look like without discipline and training.” (Ouch! - I need to pray for her and the dog)

Just like that untrained dog, without God’s Word we can become reactive, spiritually unbalanced, and hard to control. We might bark at the wrong things, pull against God’s guidance, and struggle through life in frustration. But it doesn’t have to be that way. God has already provided the “training manual”—His Word.

What Happens When We Don’t Read the Word?

1. We Miss God’s Voice

God speaks to us primarily through His Word. If we aren’t in it, we’re not tuning in to His voice and we’re more likely to be led by emotions, opinions, or the culture around us.

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

2. We Stop Growing Spiritually

No Word, no growth. A believer who doesn’t feed on Scripture becomes spiritually malnourished

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

3. We Lose Our Guidance

Without God’s Word, we start making decisions in the dark. We may stumble into sin, confusion, or wrong relationships; not because God wasn’t speaking, but because we weren’t listening.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

4. We Forget Who We Are

God's Word acts as a spiritual mirror, showing us our true identity in Christ. Without it, we easily start believing falsehoods about ourselves and developing distorted views of others.

James 1:22–24 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
 

The Bible isn’t just a book, it’s God’s living, breathing word to us. It teaches, corrects, encourages, and strengthens and reveals who God is and we are in Him.

Even dedicating 10 minutes a day to God's Word can profoundly transform your heart over time. The more you immerse yourself in it, the more it will shape you, and the more vibrant your faith will become.

Let’s Pray - Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve neglected Your Word. I know that in Your Word is truth, power, and life. Help me to prioritize time with You and to find joy in reading Scripture. Teach me, guide me, and let Your Word be a lamp to my feet. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

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Stay connected and be encouraged—because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!