Colossians Immersion

 

Various and sundry friends who happen to be reading this post, HELLO. 

For most of my time knowing Jesus, I have struggled with figuring out what technique best suits my learning style in studying the Word. 

I have tried a method that I like to call Bible Mining, in which I would look up all the cross-references of a passage, draw out on notebook paper a schematic web of how the cross-references connect, and then journal about what I learned from this process. 

I have tried the method where I write out observations, specific words and grammar of a passage, interpretation of what the passage means, and then the application of that passage to life. 

I have tried Bible reading plans, including "read the Bible in a year plans" and have not finished those every. darn. time. I. have. tried.

What has seemed to work the best so far in reading through the Word has been a loose reading plan, not bounded by any specific amount of time, wherein I read a chapter of the Old Testament, a chapter of Psalms, a chapter of Proverbs, and a chapter of the New Testament. I try to do this daily. It has been helpful to be in several parts of the Bible at a time so that I am getting a good overall picture of what is going on. And then, when there are times in life that are busy and I have the need for simpler times with God, I just go straight to the Psalms and read/pray them. 

However, for actual Bible study, which is the subject of this post, I have struggled, as I have already mentioned. My new game plan now is IMMERSION. From my school and college years, I have noticed that I learn best from repetition and having my mind focused on something, uninterrupted if possible, for a good amount of time. 

So from now through the end of November, I am purposing to immerse myself in the book of Colossians. 

• I am going to listen to it on the Dwell app. 
• I am going to read it during my time with God (which, "time with God" is really all day every day, we are always in His presence. but I am talking about focused time in the Word). 
• I am going to pray through Colossians, as in literally praying the words back to God. 
• And I am going to journal about what I am learning and about how the passage applies to my heart and life. 

I am going to be asking these simple questions:

• What does the passage mean?
• How ought this to change my heart?

I am looking forward to how this purposeful immersion will change how I study the Word, and I look forward to doing this with future books of the Bible, as well. I want to be "trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed." {1 Timothy 4:6}