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Your soul needs to be fed. If you’re not intentional about healthy ways to feed your soul with the Word of God, you might find yourself spiritually starving.
I’ve been there. I know I need to feed my soul, but life happens and I allow myself a few days of grace. Those days turn into weeks, and before I know it, I’m spiritually famished. My faith becomes weak.
We feed our souls whether we’re intending to or not. If you’re not feeding your soul with the Word of God, you’re feeding it something else. What are you feeding it? Seriously. Stop and think about that. What are you actually feeding your soul right now?
God created all of us with a need for His Word.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4, ESV).”
There’s more than one way to accomplish this goal. And that’s comforting. Because we’re all different. We learn and relate in unique ways.
Our souls need nourishment constantly, so the more ways we can feast on God’s Word, the better!
I brainstormed and came up with 9 practical ways to feed your soul with the Word of God.
Hear the Word of God
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17, ESV).”
As faithful followers of Christ, we need each other. God created the Church to equip us and build us up for the lives He’s called us to (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Christian fellowship is a powerful means of feeding your soul. Spending time with believers who consistently speak the truth of God’s Word to you is invaluable.
Beyond that, there are other ways you can continually feed your soul by hearing God’s Word:
Attend a church that preaches the Bible.
Listen to sermons online.
Listen to an audio Bible.
Listen to Scripture set to music.
Read the Bible
Boredom and busyness are common reasons for not reading the Bible. Not knowing what to read is another. For the purpose of this post, I’ll keep this simple:
Appetites are developed. If you don’t have a desire for reading the Bible, develop an appetite for it. Read What if I don’t feel like reading the Bible? for help with that, if you need it.
Something is better than nothing. A spiritual snack of a single Scripture is better than spiritual starvation. That’s why I created a year’s worth of short, simple, anyone-can-do-it Bible reading plans. You can access the entire library here.
Study the Bible
There are so many ways to study the Bible. Even if you don’t consider yourself the “academic” or “scholarly” type, there is a method of Bible study that can feed your soul.
God doesn’t want to keep His Word a mystery to you. He wrote it for you. He longs for you to know it, to understand it. It’s His means of communicating with you.
Please, please, please don’t be intimidated by the word “study”. It can be simple. A Simple Guide to Inductive Bible Study is just that – an easy-to-follow reference to show how anyone – even you – can study God’s Word.
If you really do struggle to study the Bible on your own, join a Bible study group. If there isn’t one for you to join locally, there are online Bible studies that are a good option, too.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV).”
Memorize Scripture
I know what you’re thinking. “I can’t memorize.” Believe me when I say that I am with you. I have an embarrassing memory. Ask any of my kids.
Let me encourage you. Two months ago, I determined to try memorizing Scripture again as an act of discipline. Psalm 119:11 had been ringing in my ears for a while:
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11, ESV).”
Many methods of Scripture memory exist and I’m sure they all work for many people. But what works for me is almost embarrassingly simple.
I prefer to memorize Scripture in context. This means selecting large passages rather than individual verses. I chose to start with the book of Philippians.
To start, I read the first verse a few times until I think I can repeat it without looking. Then I recite it 10 times. The next day, I do the same thing with the second verse, then repeat the first and second verse together 10 times.
Every day, I move on to the next verse, repeating it 10 times, then repeating it with the previous verse 10 times.
When I think of it throughout the day, or as I’m falling asleep at night, I recite as much as I can remember.
I was skeptical about the simplicity of this, but in a few short weeks, I’ve successfully memorized the first 2 chapters of the book of Philippians.
Give it a try! You have nothing to lose.
Meditate on God’s Word
To meditate on God’s Word is to allow it to penetrate your soul. The origin of the word “meditate” is likened to a cow chewing her cud.
Take a passage of Scripture and chew on it over and over. Pore over every word one by one. Squeeze every ounce of truth out of it that you can.
Bible journaling or Scripture writing are 2 popular methods of meditating on God’s Word. But it doesn’t have to be a highly involved activity. You can meditate on it as you go about the tasks of your day! Just think about it.
Psalm 119 is a meditation on God’s Word. It’s a great place to start practicing this method of feeding your soul.
Pray through Scripture
Use a passage of Scripture as a framework for prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is a common one. I love to pray through a Psalm. I’ve found it to be the single most effective way to deepen my prayer life.
Read a passage one line or phrase at a time, then respond to it in prayer.
For example, Psalm 23:
“The Lord is my shepherd…”
God, You are my shepherd. That means you guide, protect, and provide for me. Help me to follow you like a sheep.
“I shall not want.”
You will provide everything I need, and You are ultimately all my soul longs for. Help me to find my soul satisfaction in You alone.
Your prayer responses might look completely different from mine. Don’t complicate it. Just start with God’s Word and let your heart respond to Him in prayer.
Sing Scripture
Few things revive the soul like worship and praise. Many artists have a gift for taking Scripture and setting it to music. This is a great way to memorize it, but it’s also a powerful way to feed your soul.
FREE Bible Study Worksheets to Help You Dig Deeper Into His Word
Obey God’s Word
The Bible is the means by which God has chosen to communicate with us. Why does He want to communicate with us? It’s not just to tell us what to do. It’s because He desires a real relationship with us.
Our relationship with Christ is strengthened when we obey Him. In John 14:15, He said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.”
James reminds us that the Bible is more than information. It’s meant to produce transformation.
“But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:22-25 NLT)
Applying Scripture to your life, learning to live it out will feed your soul.
Share God’s Word
Have you ever had a meal so delicious, you couldn’t stop talking about it? You told all your friends about the great new restaurant you found. Or you shared the new recipe on Facebook because you think everyone needs to try it.
When we share the feast of God’s Word with others, it delights our souls. And it’s something we’re called to!
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)…”
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV).”
Sharing God’s Word with others helps us to remember it. It strengthens faith to tell others what God has spoken to us through the Bible. It holds us accountable to share with others what we’re learning from God’s Word.
Eating a meal is so much more enjoyable with friends and family. The same is true for the Bread of Life. Share it with your kids, your husband, your coworkers, your friends. Post a Scripture on your social media. Don’t keep all that goodness to yourself!
A regular diet of God’s Word is sure to keep your soul well nourished. Practice these healthy spiritual eating habits and watch how your spirit will grow!
Bio: Jana Carlson
Jana Carlson has an insatiable love for the Word of God. She blogs at Wield The Word where her desire is to teach and inspire women to love God’s Word and live it out.
Jana lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and their 3 grown children. She works as a writer and enjoys reading, breathing in fresh mountain air, and spending time with family and friends.
Susan is a writer, speaker and the creator of Women of Noble Character ministries. She is passionate about helping Christian women deepen their walk with God through Bible study and creative worship and strengthen their marriages.
She lives in rural North Central Missouri with her handsome and hilarious husband and a myriad of dogs, cats and chickens.
