As busy as college students are, it can be profoundly beneficial for them to seek out and engage in a routine Bible study. Diving deeper into their faith, exploring what the world’s challenges mean to them, and creating a Christian-based path forward can give any college student the direction he or she needs to achieve their best life. Still, it’s not always easy to make that decision—instead of a night with friends or yet another study session for a high-level math class, go to Bible study instead.
There are key reasons to invest in Bible study, though. The fact is, the Bible can bring inner peace and create a strong connection to your faith. It is that faith that may get you through the toughest times of your future. Working on it now, building up your confidence, is something every college student can benefit from on a routine basis.
Why is Bible Study Important?
How does the Bible help us in our daily life? What can it provide to a college student that he or she didn’t know or, more importantly, provide the reassurance that they are not facing life on their own? Here are several reasons why you should be reading the Bible and engaging in study for it.
#1: Have Faith to Have Confidence
Daily life in college is filled with ups and downs, challenges, and stresses. That’s why having a verse like the following to remember and reflect on can be so important. From Proverbs 3:5-6, the Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
As a college student, it’s so important to have a path forward—whether you are trying to pick classes, determining which major is right for you, or which friends to spend time with that day. When you learn to have faith, you don’t question the “what ifs”—instead, you make decisions with confidence.
#2: Reduce Anxiety
The American Psychological Association states that 41.6% of college students deal with anxiety. What does anxiety do but limit you? It does not help you prepare for tomorrow nor does it provide any solutions to your problems today. Consider this passage from 1 Peter 5: 6-7, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Simply, studying the Bible gives us support, confidence, and knowledge. It also simply states not to worry. For a college student, that’s impactful each and every day.
#3: Working Hard Pays Off
It’s hard to focus on college tasks when there’s a lot of other things that seem like they would be more enjoyable to do. One of the most important things we learn in the Bible is that hard work and working for God are essential. That is, the work we do needs to be focused solely on the work God wants us to do, not work to earn a big paycheck or gain attention for ourselves.
In Colossians 3:23, we learn, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Hard work, for God, is rewarding and worth the effort in all cases. This can help a person learn how to use their talents to achieve amazing things for God’s glory.
#4: Supporting Others Builds Character
One of the most important things the Bible tells us is to help support each other. It’s easy to get lost in the competition of college from who is going to do the best on a test to who will land the important internship. By spending time studying the Bible, we learn the importance of putting others first.
It’s communicated many times over in the Bible. One key passage from Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV) reads, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
That’s powerful in many ways, especially from the premise of being honest, helping to support others, and putting ourselves second. That’s important in college, but it also continues for the rest of our lives. In Bible study, it becomes possible to gain more insight into what this really means for daily life.
#5: Preparing for the Future Tough Situations
For some college students, there’s pain and difficulty in life already. For others, that pain, frustration, and fear is coming at a later point in life.
Will reading the Bible change your life? Consider this: If something were to be difficult in a matter of years, and you’ve spent time learning and reading the Bible, you have a new understanding of what those tragedies really mean. Life can become challenging, but when you know that you can find refuge and support in God, you also know you can get through those difficult times. That’s evident in Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the many who takes refuge in Him!”
#6: Forgiveness Is the Promise of Our Future
In Isaiah 40:28, we learn, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.”
First, we learn that God is endlessly willing to forgive and support us no matter what we have done. That’s important when you are making changes and making mistakes as a young adult. Second, we also learn the importance and value of forgiveness when we give that to another person. These are core values that you’ll find benefit you throughout life.
#7: A Foundation for Life
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we learn, “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.”
When we ask if the Bible is beneficial to our daily life, the answer is a resounding yes, simply based on this passage alone. When you invest in Bible study and put in the hard work, it becomes easy to do that work. That’s because we know there is value in learning, growing, and doing our best. When you invest in this type of study and a commitment to living a Christian lifestyle, you’ll have success in the endeavors of your life.
Are You Embracing the Bible Enough?
Take a few minutes to consider the benefits of Bible Study and how much it can influence your life and your future. Take a closer look at what you’ll learn and how you will grow with access to this type of view and value on life. Reading the Bible can change your life, help you in daily life, and become the foundation of your future.
Are you ready to learn more about Bible studies? Let us help you. Geneva College helps you pursue your career goals through incredible programs. Contact us at 855-979-5563 or web@geneva.edu.
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
May 25, 2021
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When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
Handing our cares and worries over to God gives us peace which keeps us from falling into doubt, as stated in Philippians. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
What should someone with wealth do? Solomon writes, “Pay attention to it and know its condition.” He uses the example of sheep and goats. Wise parents blessed with wealth will teach their children how to work to maintain it. Wise children will accept the burdens of responsibility that go with family wealth, always remembering that riches do not last forever.
The Book of Proverbs has no use for the gullible, viewing them as willful fools. Even when everyone else can see a hateful, deceitful person for what he is, the gullible choose to believe gracious words.
At Easter, a good question to ask is, "How are people saved?" This should be a question that Christians can easily answer, and indeed most can. However, sometimes Christians are less knowledgeable about the doctrine of justification and its important distinctions than perhaps they should be.
How should leaders deal with difficult situations in difficult times? Geneva College’s John Gallo and Jenna Bieber provide a guidebook for leaders. "Lessons from Cain and Abel to Guide Leaders Through Turbulent Times" walks readers through the account of Cain and Abel to teach leaders the importance of justice, mercy, harmony and equality.
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