A couple of months ago, I was asked to give a 5 minute talk on scripture study at an event in early March. I thought it wouldn't be too hard and immediately started brainstorming and writing my ideas on a list on the fridge. Then, about a week before the event, the person sent me an email saying, "Are you still able to talk about filling our spiritual lamps through scripture study?" My first thought was Yuck! Matthew 25.
I hate the story of the virgins and the lamps. Intellectually, I understand the principle that Jesus was trying to teach, but so many other things bug me about the story that sometimes it is hard to focus on that main idea. Even the idea of preparation for meeting the Savior at some point in the future bugs me a little.
Let me explain. For most of the first 35 years of my life, I endured and suffered through a lot, knowing that it was only temporary and that it would end. And of course, the difficult thing always did end, AND was followed by something else that I just had to get through. Finally I was tired of suffering through life in hopes of not suffering in the future and I decided that I needed things that helped me to be happy, healthy, and spiritually connected today, right now. So back to Matthew 25--At this point in my life, I cannot prepare for the Second Coming as some future event. I need to find ways to know Jesus Christ today.
So, I set out to try to find a way to tie in the topic of the meeting--Filling Our Spiritual Lamps--with something that makes sense to me. I thought about the lamp--What is its function? Why do I need it? Lamps give light. Light is something I need every single day. I could talk about filling our lamps in terms of daily inspiration and guidance. Instead of Matthew 25, my scripture focus became Psalms 119:105:
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
By the way, I really liked the way they chose to frame this topic for the meeting. The Relief Society president read from this talk.
I really liked Elder Bednar's comments, especially since they fit so well with my idea of needing to fill my lamp daily for use now.
Here is the basic text of my talk, plus a really long list of possible ways to study the scriptures.
Being a Scripture Chase champion or clocking 12,775 hours of scripture study will not make you Christlike or guarantee your place in the Celestial Kingdom. Scripture study is not something we can check off on our "Checklist for Perfection". And if it is only another "should", it will be a source of guilt and frustration.
For me, filling our lamps isn't just about preparing for an event that will happen at some point in the future, or even about checking off an item on our "should" list. Filling my lamp is about finding the light and strength that I need to get through each day. Reading, studying and pondering my scriptures is a way of refocusing on who I am, what I believe, and what I want to do and be.
The motivation and desire to study the scriptures must come from within you. Others may encourage you or challenge you, but ultimately, what you receive from your scripture study depends on what you personally are seeking.
The worst thing that ever happened to my scripture study was when my stake president challenged us to read for 30 minutes every day. I became overwhelmed and discouraged. My regular scripture study fell apart because I couldn't find the time for a 30 minute session, so I just didn't do it. What made it even harder for me was that I really liked my stake president and knew that he was inspired to give us this challenge, which made me feel even more guilty about not being able to make it work in my life.
I recently added up all the little things that my doctors, therapists, and church leaders say are everyday essentials. It came to 26 hours. I can't do it all, and I'm starting to be OK with not doing it all, as long as I'm doing something and moving in the right direction.
Recently, my scripture study has improved as I've started to apply a concept that had worked very well in other parts of my life: I need to explore many different methods and approaches and then find the one that works for me. The tricky part is that the one that works varies depending on my current life situation. It is also essential that I remember that a little is better than nothing.
What follows is a list of scripture study possibilities. There is not one "right" way. Your right way is the one that helps you to find the light, peace, and understanding that you need at that moment.
- Memorize a scripture.
o A person I know prints off a verse of scripture that speaks to him and takes it with him when he runs. He then spends his entire run memorizing and pondering that verse.
o Write a favorite scripture on a Post-it, place it somewhere that you will read it often, and leave it there until you have that scripture memorized. - Pair reading/studying with a task you do daily.
o A woman I know brushes her teeth while she reads and says that her dental health and spirituality have increased.
o I also know of people who read while they eat their lunch or during the bus ride to work. - Journal or blog about your scriptural insights. Writing it down preserves those ideas and inspirations for times when you're not feeling inspired. (I had not intended to make this blog about spiritual topics, but I've been surprised at how often I want to write about something I am studying.)
- Read straight though one of the standard works to help you see the big picture and understand the context in which the concepts were taught.
- Study by topic.
o Use the dictionary to better understand the meaning of the word.
o Look up all the cross references.
o Use the Bible Dictionary and Topical Guide.
o See if the topic is covered in Preach My Gospel, Gospel Principles, Institute manuals and other church books.
o Look for hymns that address the topic and study those as well.
o For topic ideas, you can use articles from the church magazines, the Church News, and Mormon Times. You can respond to something that resonates with you, or something that you don't understand or don't agree with.
o Search for related church materials at lds.org.
o Google it. You can gain profound insights from people of other faiths. Even if what you find is not doctrinally correct, seeing another perspective can help clarify what you believe. - While studying Preach My Gospel, Relief Society lessons, or Sunday School lessons, stop to look up the references and maybe even check the cross references on those.
- When pondering/studying a scripture, ask yourself 3 things: 1. What is the context in which this was revealed? What did it mean to the people at that time and place? 2. What does this mean to church members in general? What have the prophets and general authorities said about it? 3. What does this mean to me right now, in my current situation?
- Use the hymns as part of your study.
o Hymns can provide insights.
o Singing can help bring the Spirit.
o Music can express what words alone cannot.
o At the bottom of each hymn, you will find 2 scripture that tie in with the message of the hymn. You can also search for hymns by topic, or look for hymns related to certain scriptures. - Make a list of "Feel Good Favorites" for days when your regular plan just isn't inspiring you. Keep that list in your scriptures.
- Mark up your scriptures.
o If you've already underlined something you like, then highlight it or box it in a different color to indicate that it touched you more than once.
o Write insights and related quotes in the margins.
o Your scriptures are not a collector's item. These pages should show wear and have writing all over them and maybe even a little food that you spilled when you were eating and reading at the same time. - Try reading the scriptures in a foreign language. This not only helps me stay focused, but I gain new understanding of both the language and the scripture as I ponder the words chosen for the translation.
- Some topics, parables, or verses may bother you. Don't let yourself get sucked into the frustration. You don't have to understand it all and love it all right now. Find one good thing you can take from it and move on, trusting that at another point in time you may find a way to make sense of it.
- Listen to the scriptures while you are in your car running errands, commuting, etc.
- Read online.
- Get a scriptures app for your phone.
For further reading: - Yoshihiko Kikuchi, “Opening the Heavens,” Ensign, Aug 2009, 34–38
- Russell M. Nelson, “Living by Scriptural Guidance,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 16–18
- L. Lionel Kendrick, “Search the Scriptures,” Ensign, May 1993, 13
- David A. Bednar, “Because We Have Them before Our Eyes,” New Era, Apr 2006, 2–7
- Julie B. Beck, “My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures,” Ensign, May 2004, 107
- 2 Nephi 31:20
- 2 Nephi 4:15
