I am going to do better, I told myself. First thing tomorrow, it’s going to be different.
The number of times I have had this exact conversation with myself regarding the conviction to be daily rooted in Scripture is too many to count.
Can you relate?
My spirit hungers and thirsts for truth and transformation, but the cravings of my flesh so strongly fight against it.
Why Delighting in God’s Word is a Daily Battle
This exact situation can play out in a multitude of ways. Let me give you an example.
One evening, I sat down to relax and enjoy a cozy little game on my Nintendo Switch (I love cozy games!). The second my Switch was in hand, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a deal I made with myself several days prior to this moment: no entertainment of any kind until after I have spent time in the Word. This was the first time since making said deal with myself that I was tempted to reconsider. I had been on a roll up to this point.
It’s just one slipup, I told myself. I’ll do better tomorrow.
I willingly chose the desire of my flesh instead of fighting against it in order to nourish my soul.
Has this ever happened to you?
If it hasn’t, please teach me your ways! (Seriously, I’m all ears.)
Chances are, however, it has. And, like me, more often than you would like to admit.
So what do we do when we come face-to-face with the temptation to step away from the One we are invited to embrace and live in tune with? The One who leads us through the unique rhythm of life He has composed just for us?
What do we do when the desire to show up and root ourselves in the Word simply is not there? How, exactly, do we grow in our love for God’s Word and properly apply it to our everyday lives?
According to the American Bible Society’s most recent State of the Bible survey, 26 million Americans have “reduced or stopped their interaction with Scripture in the past year.”1
Twenty-six million.
This tells me—and it should also tell you—that there are many Christians treading some seriously dangerous waters.
It should not be this way.
But oh, how easy it is to let our emotions drive our understanding of who God is! Been there, done that. And I have no doubt I’ll find myself there again, because it really is that easy.
If something doesn’t feel good, we don’t want it, right? The same can be said for the nature of God. If something about Him does not line up with the understanding we have crafted for ourselves of who He is, we reject it. We reject Him.
We cannot know God if we do not know His Word, and the responsibility to know the Word starts with us.
Not our pastor.
Not our favorite Christian author, influencer, or blogger.
Us.
Is it a pastor’s job to effectively communicate the Word of God in such a way that leads to conviction, understanding, and correction? Yes.
Is it an author’s job to write their message in such a way that glorifies God, points people to the gospel, and reminds them of their unending need for Christ? Absolutely.
But it is our responsibility as children of God to spend time getting to know Him intimately instead of placing this responsibility in someone else’s hands.
It starts with us.
How to Grow in Delighting in God’s Word
Far too often, we place too much dependence on other people to equip us with what we need to know concerning the Word instead of seeking to feast on all of God’s Word ourselves.
As much as you may love your pastor or favorite Christian blogger or author, they are not the Bible. Do not let people occupy more space in your heart than your Father in heaven. God is God, and we are not. Put this truth on repeat in your heart. He is holy and worth every ounce of our undivided attention.
Did you know God used at least forty different men from multiple continents over the span of 1,500 years to write the Bible? In addition, the accuracy of Scripture has been affirmed by more ancient manuscripts than any other piece of writing!2 How amazing is that?
Of the countless verses that speak to the authority, necessity, and benefits of being rooted in the Word, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is a personal favorite. It tells us, “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 complete, equipped for every good work.”
God’s Word is God-breathed. Through it, God does not simply give us information—He gives us Himself! God’s Word speaks and acts, it performs and explains, all for the purpose of God making Himself known.
Are you catching this? The Creator of the universe longs to make Himself known in your life!
When we open the pages of Scripture, God meets us right where we are, but He doesn’t leave us there. Instead, He works within us to mold us more and more into Christ’s image. The power of His Word and Holy Spirit work to train and correct us in the way of righteousness so that we are equipped for every good work on this side of heaven.
It is only through Scripture that we gain a true understanding of who God is and the heart He has for His people. This is why it is imperative that we study the Word: so that we may gain a proper knowledge of God and ourselves, and so that we would know why we believe what we believe. As a result, we are able to serve God more faithfully.
God gave us His Word to help us grow in our understanding of who He is so that we can enjoy an intimate and authentic relationship with Him for all the days of our lives.
Out of the 700,000+ words God used to fill the pages of Scripture, not a single one of them returns void (see Isaiah 55:11). If only we would dive in and feast on them as if the condition of our soul depended on it.
Because let’s be honest: the condition of our soul does depend on it.
Reading the Bible does not lead to dead ends and wasted time. It leads to life and transformation! May our lives be a reflection of this glorious truth.
1. American Bible Society, “State of the Bible: USA 2022,” December 2022 ed., https://1s712.americanbible.org/state-of-the-bible/stateofthebible/State_of_the_bible-2022.pdf, x.
2. Norman Geisler, “Has the Bible Been Accurately Copied Down through the Centuries?,” Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College, August 21, 2017, https://ses.edu/has-the-bible-been-accurately-copied-down-through-the-centuries/.
Adapted from She Delights: Cultivate a Life of Joy for the One Who Reigns & Sustains by Elle Cardel, releasing in April 2025.
Elle Cardel is first and foremost a sinner saved by grace. She lives in middle Tennessee with her college sweetheart, Michael, and their two lovely children, Selah and Aidan. Elle loves being a mama, nerding out over strategy board games with Michael, catching up over coffee with friends (all the lavender lattes, please!), making meals from scratch, and writing on the truths of the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.Elle holds a bachelor’s degree in biblical theology and is the founder of the global online women’s ministry Daughter of Delight, a growing community of 170,000-plus women of faith. Elle is a firm believer that, in order to truly know God, we must know His Word. She is deeply passionate about equipping everyday women of faith with the tools to be faithful stewards of Bible literacy. She lives on a mission to help others learn and love Scripture via the Daughter of Delight podcast, daily devotionals woven around the Word, and free biblical resources, all of which you can find at her website, daughterofdelight.com. Her most recent title, She Delights, will release from Tyndale Momentum on April 22, 2025. You can connect with Elle on her website or Instagram.
