A Guest Blog by Bethany McIlrath
Silly as it may seem, I didn’t see a connection between reading the Bible and praying for a long time.
Then one day in my regular Bible reading, I was desperate to understand what a challenging passage was saying.
Desperation has a way of making our prayers more honest, doesn’t it?
I smacked my forehead that morning as I realized: The God I read about in the Bible is the same God I pray to!
That kind (obvious) revelation taught me that I could ask God clarifying questions as I read His Word.
Over time, it clicked with me that prayer is a two-way conversation based on listening to God and having a conversation with Him through His Word.
Prayer is a two-way conversation based on listening to God and conversing with Him through His Word.7 Ways to Turn Your Bible Reading Into a Conversation with God
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:16-17
To put it simply, we get in God’s Word to get equipped to serve Him, and we pray to align with God’s will.
The goals of Bible-reading and prayer intertwine—both are ways of connecting with God for the purpose of growing in, serving, and glorifying Him.
Choosing to read God’s Word and pray to God in a conversational way is a tangible way for us to engage with God more deeply. Let’s review a few simple methods I’ve discovered to help you get started.
The goals of Bible-reading and prayer intertwine—both are ways of connecting with God for the purpose of growing in, serving, and glorifying Him.
1. Change Impersonal Pronouns to “I”
Prayer for others is important and certainly exemplified in Scripture. However, prayer is also meant to be personal.
One simple way to feel the personal nature of prayer is to read God’s word as if it were written directly to you.
Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “If I serve, I should do so with the strength God provides” -1 Peter 4:11
2. Add “Help me” before Commands
God is our maker, helper, and sanctifier.
When we encounter His commands in Scripture, we can turn these into prayers asking Him to help us obey Him.
We get in God’s Word to get equipped to serve Him, and we pray to align with God's will.Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “God help me serve, help me do so with the strength You provide” -1 Peter 4:11
3. Turn Commands Into Questions for Self-Examination
So often we want God to speak to us by answering our specific requests or questions.
God’s Word to us, however, is more often “for…rebuking, correcting.” We’re safe before God to let Him speak truth into our lives so that we can repent and grow in His grace.
Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “Do I serve? Do I do so with the strength you, God, provide?” -1 Peter
4:11
4. Know Your “So That’s”
Praying our will is often praying for our way so that our purposes can be accomplished.
Knowing that God is much, much greater than we are, we want to pray so that His will is accomplished. So, it’s important to keep His purposes and His will in the forefront of our conversations and prayers.
Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “When I serve, I should do so with the strength You provide, so that in all things You may be praised through Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 4:11
5. Cover the Context
Misuses of Scripture happen often when we remove verses from their context. When conversing with God using the Bible, use the context for perspective.
Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE:
“This verse is written by Peter to Christians. He is talking about living according to Your Will and Your Spirit, especially in regards to how we interact with other people. It seems like the Christians he is writing to were suffering for their faith. God, I want to interact with other people according to Your will and Spirit. I need your strength to do this, and I want to do this to your praise, even if suffering results.”
6. Acknowledge God’s Attributes
Doubt and distraction keep us from praying sincerely. We can combat our own insincerity by simply acknowledging God’s attributes as we pray over scripture.
His character is our confidence. His qualities bring truth into focus.
Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “When I serve, I can do so with the strength You provide because You are strong! I want to do so so that in all things You may be praised through Jesus Christ, because You are glorious and sovereign and everlasting!” -1 Peter 4:11
7. Recognize Repetition
Grasping the key point or “takeaway” of a conversation with God that is based on His Word relies on recognizing repetition.
Look for words, phrases, or topics that come up often in the passage you are reading.
Repeat them back to God, just as you would if someone gave you directions or said something you needed to remember precisely.
Doubt and distraction keep us from praying sincerely. We can combat our own insincerity by simply acknowledging God’s attributes as we pray over Scripture.Practical Example:
Verse: “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” -1 Peter 4:11
ConVERSE: “Throughout this verse and passage ‘God’ is repeated. So is ‘glory.’ God, I want to give glory to you. Help me to serve as Your Word commands here. Help me to serve in dependence on you and for your glory.”
How to Get Started
Where do you find yourself these days?
- You read through Scripture and find yourself uneasy at the realization that you sin—a lot.
- Your Bible study time is academic, but only your prayer time feels personal.
- You’re growing as you read Scripture, but your prayers still feel more like wish-lists or solicitations.
I’d encourage you to turn to God through His Word and begin praying over His Word as you read it.
Need more help uncovering the riches of God’s Word? Get started with one of the free online Bible studies by Living By Design. These practical studies have personally helped me better understand what God says in His Word, which in turn improves my conversations with God.
-Bethany McIlrath
Bethany McIlrath’s passion is using words to point others to Christ and to build others up in faithful, humble confidence. She writes about step by step, day by day faith on her blog titled, First and Second Blog. Bethany is also grateful to ghostwrite and guest-write for other bloggers and ministries. She and her husband Matt have been married for 5+ years and enjoy their small dog’s antics and opportunities to serve together.
