By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

Hello, friends! This month I’m launching a series called 5 Ways God Speaks to Us. Every Wednesday in May I will release a new blog post focused on one of the ways we hear from God. Join me as we dive into this exciting topic!

How often do you read the Bible? You might be someone who starts their day with Bible study, either solo or using an app or podcast. You might be someone whose exposure to scripture is limited to whatever the preacher says on Sunday morning. Or you might be someone whose Biblical literacy is pretty rusty and dusty.

Regardless of your familiarity or frequency with God’s Word, God can still speak to you via scripture. It’s one of the most popular ways God talks to us. Scripture is readily available. We can read it on mugs and t-shirts, hear it in contemporary Christian music, see it on someone’s social media feed. I regularly post God’s word on Instagram!

That doesn’t mean that every Bible verse you come across is a message specifically meant for you. It could be meant for the person beside you. But we can all learn from each word God speaks into our lives, taking away important truths and guidance.

Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet

The Bible is God’s inspired Word. It reveals God’s character and God’s expectations of us. It tells us the stories of our Biblical ancestors, their successes and failures, and how they applied their faith to their lives. From the moment God gave Moses the Law (the Torah or first five books of the Old Testament), God’s people were to study, memorize, and teach God’s Word.

What is so important about God’s Word? It gives us direction! It tells us how to live set apart from the world. For thousands of years, God’s people have diligently turned to the Word: “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8 KJV).

Scripture is God’s written Word providing instructions on how we are to live, how we are to act, and how we are to worship. It’s the most tangible way God talks to us and it’s readily available for everyone to hear.

Okay, that’s great, but how exactly does God speak to us individually through scripture?

And a Light unto My Path

If you have ever been part of a Bible study, then you know that different people have different interpretations of scripture. A group of people can read the exact same verse yet leave with their own unique takeaway.

That little thought in the back of your mind, the “Aha!” moment, or that realization that the words you read were written specifically for you, this is the Holy Spirit working and talking within you. This is how God speaks to us through the Word.

And it can happen in the most unexpected times, not only when you are reading your Bible. Isn’t that wonderful? As you are out and about living your life, God is talking to you, using the radio or television or other books to get your attention and immerse you in the Word.

I Love to Tell the Story

God is always trying to get our attention. For example, I own a daily calendar where each day is a different verse of scripture. Some days I quickly read it and think the words are a nice sentiment. But other days, wow! There are some days that I flip the page and I’m immediately hit with conviction. I know it’s God’s way of telling me exactly what I need to hear that day.

So, friend, open your Bible and read what God is telling you today. You might be surprised by what you hear!