Bible burnout?

In my life it has been normal to go through periods when I don't seem to connect with God at all. It is most impotant to stay in the Word and on your knees even when you don't feel like it. Especially when you don't feel like it. That is the last place Satan wants you and he will do whatever he can to discourage you. Stay faithful and you will be blessed. It may take time but be faithful. Read through the Gospels rather than something deep. Read Psalm 119. I will pray for you Dustin...I have been where you are. Tell God all your heart. He remembers that we are dust and knows your heart.

It seems that no matter how close we are to God there is always a part of us that fights against him. The closer I am to the Lord, the more I realize how true this. We still have that old man fighting us all the way to Glory. Fight back!

 

In the Screwtape Letters C. S. Lewis talks about this. He says it's a cyclical thing, where sometimes things go really well and other times they go not so well. I don't think I'd try to blame it on any one thing. I think some people think it's not possible to get burned out reading the Bible, but I don't see why it's any different from any other type of studying--it's all work! If I recall correctly Lewis thought that God would make himself seem closer or farther away at times to give us practice reading the Bible and so forth when it wasn't so immediately rewarding ("building faith"). It's also possible it might be spiritual warfare, but I think more likely it's just how our brains work. Perhaps taking a new approach for a while might help, or trying a new version? If you stick to it this will probably go away after a while--until next time.

 

Dustin, relax. Know that God is and will be faithful to finish the good work He began in you. We try so hard to help Him do this good work in us! What we need to be doing is staying quietly attuned to Him in prayer so that we can follow His directions. Read the Bible slowly, a bit a day, so we know if we are being fooled by our own thoughts, for the Bible is the only plumb line for truth we have.

He will show you what He would have you do in the life He has put you in. Actually, that is not said quite right, for He is the one who will do the work through you. And that's ever so much easier! His burden truly is light.

In Ephesians 6, in the part about spiritual warfare, I think you will find that we are only told to stand. We do not need to aggresively fight. We only need to be able to maintain a good defense. Earlier in that book, at the end of chapter 2, you will find that God has prepared in advance the works He wants to do through you.

So don't worry. Trust Him. He knows what He is doing. We are the dummies here!

 

Perhaps you have read and tried to absorb too much at one time. If you read a lot you may not be getting the level of understanding that you could from what you are reading. Slow down and find a systematic method of study. It's not the quanitiy of what you read, but the quality of knowledge you gain from what you read.

As to the other difficulties, you are experiencing the same thing that we all do. Just know that the thing that will bring you closest to Him is obedience. The quality of our relationship with Him depends on how we obey His words to pray and study. We will not always see the results we wish to see but, if we are being obedient, we can rest assured that His will is working out in our lives. Thank God that our relationship does not rely on how close we feel, or how good we're doing. Human feelings are fickle things. The word of God is sure.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 

Check your heart. Why are you doing prayer and Bible reading? So you can say that you are faithful? Wrong motives and attitude. Because you think that is what you are supposed to do? Wrong attitude and motives.

Check your heart for happiness. Are you truely joyful in what you are doing? Are you doing these things because you are trying to justify not doing what God really wants you to do? Are you holding on to something that the Spirit is convicting you to let go of? Not a happy or joyful heart. Continue in this path much longer and the bones will begin to dry out. Never forget what we have to be happy about. Reread the Gospels and remind yourself of why Christ came.

Good luck.

 

Sometimes it seems that God "pulls" away.. and He is no where to be found... I have found this is when I become more thirsty for Him...

It is just a stage we all go through to get us to the next level... I like the advice above to start a systematic study..

Slow down and enjoy..

When i first got called to preach, I was like that.. I couldn't get enough... and an old deacon that was a farmer, used a ox as an illustration for me...

He said that if he would allow it the Ox would work himself to death... but the farmer was wise enough to pace the ox so he wouldn't burnout from being overzealous..

If you feel it is burnout, maybe this is what God is telling you.... Slow down, absorb, and have fun... The Bible will be around for eternity... pace yourself.

 

I find that as I get distracted or allow attitude and sin in my life that my bible reading becomes a chow or boring or not relavent to my life. But when I remove those distractions and/or sin then I get a fresh and renewed outlook on the Bible. Can you get burnout? I don't know I've not had it happen to me because with a heart that is right I find that the Holy Spirit shows me more things...things I should have seen before during other readings.

I wrote a sermon about something like this. Except it was written 'backgrounds' or at least the last verse in the reading was the first point and going backwards in that respect. I'll have to post it sometime

God Bless your daily studyings and may the Spirit highlight what it is the Lord wants you to understand and apply!!

 

You can "put yourself off" of something quite easily, else how could humanity disobey God to begin with?
Prayer is a definite must when studying the Word. When you get stuck in a place, stop and rest. Pray about it. Most of all relax. Allow God to speak to you. It is not very helpful to try and force feed yourself. All that is to me is a waste of time.

God bless.