Personal Study—A Matter of Concern
1 What matters give us cause for serious concern? We should be intensely concerned about building and maintaining a close relationship with Jehovah. Personal study plays a major role in developing such intimacy. Today, few of us have the circumstances that permit spending long periods of time in meditation and personal study. Yet, if we do not read God’s Word regularly, we can become weakened to the point of not having the strength to resist the spirit of the world and its fleshly desires.
2 Form a Longing for the Word: When we first learned about God’s purposes, likely we were eager to acquire more knowledge. Over a period of time, however, our hunger for spiritual nourishment may have become dull. There may be a need to “form a longing” for spiritual food. (1 Pet. 2:2) How can we develop such a longing?
3 The aroma of a favorite food will stir hunger pangs because of pleasant memories. Brief periods of personal study can affect us in a similar way spiritually. Enjoying a few tasty spiritual morsels may whet our appetite for deeper truths. The satisfaction that comes with learning may encourage us to dig deeper into Jehovah’s Word.
4 Develop a Routine That Works Best for You: Some set aside an entire evening to do personal study, while others prefer shorter and more frequent periods of study. If you find that you can concentrate better in the early morning hours, you may decide to do some studying before breakfast. If you are more alert in the evening, you may choose to do your studying before retiring at night. Whatever the case, the important thing is to be regular and stick to the routine best suited to your needs.
5 When we are encouraged to do more personal study, we may be quick to point out that we already have a full schedule. However, all of us need to be honest in evaluating how we spend our time. Are many hours consumed each day watching television programs? Are we willing to sacrifice some personal interests? A realistic examination of how we use our time will likely reveal daily periods that could be used more profitably in personal study.—Eph. 5:15, 16.
6 The study of God’s Word deserves our undivided attention. Trying to do something else at the same time minimizes the benefits. If we are inclined to study while eating, listening to the radio, or watching television, we are not likely to be absorbed in what we are trying to learn. (1 Tim. 4:15) So there is a need to get rid of distractions.—See School Guidebook, pages 33-4.
7 Daily study and application of Bible counsel are important because that is the way we receive guidance from Jehovah. Make it your goal to get the truth off the printed page and into your heart. Take advantage of every opportunity, no matter how brief, to read, review, or meditate on spiritual things.—Deut. 6:6-8; Col. 1:9, 10.