Why is it that many Christians may be reading the Bible the wrong way without even realizing it?

Agenda. Yes, agenda. In its simplest meaning, an agenda is an outline or a plan. So, is it wrong to have a plan concerning the Word of God, or to take notes and outline the things written therein? Certainly not.

However, we must remember that these are His words, not yours or mine. Yes, we can read a person’s words and benefit by identifying certain things that speak to a given time or situation. But when we consider that Scripture is the Word of God, how often should we approach it with our own agenda already in hand?

We may come saying, “I need this, I need that, and this or that must change in my life,” so we approach His Word with a plan for a specific outcome.

It is needful that you, the believer, open your Bible to receive His words, not with your own agenda dressed as faith, but with a surrendered heart that allows Him to speak to you at His pace, in His time, and according to His perfect wisdom.

We may have agendas for the things of the world, our work, our responsibilities, and the matters we must address. But when we come to the Lord, more often let us simply come to have Him speak to our hearts through the reading of His Word, rather than coming with a pre-planned agenda.

Remember, the word agenda is also connected to the idea of a schema, from which we get the word scheme. So what we may think is a fixed plan for seeking the Lord can, unknowingly, become a scheme clothed in self-righteousness.

Many burdened souls do not need a quick verse that pushes them into action; they need a steady voice, the Voice of the Lord. But how can you hear His voice when you always come with a plan? Are you truly listening, or only searching for what confirms the plan you already brought with you?

This is where patience becomes necessary. Without patience, our own desires can begin to sound like the Lord. A hurried heart may mistake urgency for direction and personal longing for divine instruction. This is why the believer must learn to wait before the Word, allowing the Lord to speak beyond what has already been planned.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

“Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” James 1:19

Come and listen. The Lord will speak to you as He sees fit.

In summary, the believer is not called to abandon reverence, study, or preparation, but to surrender the need to control what God must say. Scripture is not merely a tool for confirming our desires or solving our immediate concerns; it is the living Word of the Lord, meant to shape, correct, comfort, and lead us according to His wisdom. Therefore, come to the Bible with an open heart, ready not only to search, but to listen.

Closing Prayer: Lord, quiet my heart before You. Teach me to come to Your Word not with a fixed agenda, but with a surrendered spirit. Help me to be still enough to hear You, patient enough to wait on You, and humble enough to receive what You choose to speak. Keep my desires from sounding louder than Your voice, and lead me by Your wisdom, Your timing, and Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be bless this day.