Personal Baggage

Studying the Bible means deepening your knowledge of God and then applying what you learn into your everyday life. But studying the Bible with no faith in what it says, with the wrong motives, or without the guidance of the Holy Spirit is fruitless. However, with that said, there is another issue that influences the way we view and interpret scripture, our personal baggage. I have witnessed this in my interactions and relationships as a chaplain and I have seen it lead people into some dangerous beliefs and attitudes. First is the problem of assumptions. Never assume you know what God wants or expects and never assume God or Jesus to be whoever you want them to be. They are who the Bible says they are, not what we make them to be, this is a dangerous form of idolatry. Second, life experiences can absolutely taint the way a person reads the Bible. With so many children growing up without a father they may struggle to understand what the Bible says about the Lord being a loving Heavenly Father. The Bible says that God is a defender of the fatherless; “God in His holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows. Go provides home for those who are deserted…” (Psalm 68:5-6). The experiences of life influence our desires and choices, thus affecting our interpretation of the Bible. No matter our life experiences, when we study the Bible we must avoid making assumptions and be aware of how our personal baggage will cause us to misinterpret scripture. God wants us to know Him, and He has given us the Bible and His words for us to do that. If you are studying and applying the Bible in the right way then you will change, you will transform, and you will bear fruit.

 Let God’s word speak for itself. We have all been influenced by the world and our life experiences. Check your baggage before you study the Bible so you can hear God speak to you from His holy Bible. He is the solution and He is the truth, and He wants us to find Him and understand who He is.