HEAR The Bible

I don't know about you, but from time to time I find myself stuck in a rut with my personal Bible study and devotional time. I recently attended a women's conference, and while there I learned about a new (to me) Bible study method that I thought I'd pass along. It's called the HEAR journaling method, but you don't necessarily need to write things down, you could do it mentally. The acronym HEAR stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond.

Here's how it works:

Highlight: After praying for the Holy Spirit's guidance and reading a passage, pick out a verse or section that stood out. If you're journaling, write down the passage reference.

Explain: Explain or paraphrase what the passage means. Here are some things to think about (quoted from the Replicate Disciple's Journal):

• “Why was it written?

• To whom was it originally written?

• How does it fit with the verses around it?

• Why did the Holy Spirit include this passage in the book?

• What is He intending to communicate through the text?”

Apply: Think about how this is significant to you personally. Answer questions like:

• “How can this help me?

• What does this mean today?

• What would the application of this verse look like in my life?

• What is God saying to me?”

Respond: This could be a prayer, a call to action, a decision to change, time of worship, etc.

I've been doing this for just a short while, but I like that I'm not just reading and moving on. I like that I have to stop and think and see what God is saying. Whoever wrote the introduction to this journal didn't include their name, but I like this quote:

“Notice that all of the words in the HEAR formula are action words: highlight, explain, apply, and respond. God does not want us to sit back and wait for Him to drop truth into our laps. Instead of waiting passively, God wants us to actively pursue Him.”

So whether you give this method a try or not, I encourage you to read your Bible regularly, not just to check off a box, but to get to know God more, to see what He has to say, to follow Him wholeheartedly.