Have you ever had a time in your life when you just couldn’t read the Bible?

For some reason there was lack of interest, there was no application to the real world, there was anger, there was hurt, there were contradictions, there was — well, you get the idea. Something somehow kept you away from the “Holy Book.”

Regardless of popular Evangelical opinion and that of rabid women’s study fellowships — The Bible is not God.

God is God.

When I was a youngster, someone had me write in the flyleaf of my Bible (I still have it) “This book will keep you from sin, sin will keep you from this book.” But I soon realized the statement — like many popular christian cliché’s —  just isn’t true. The Bible has no power in and of itself to keep me from sin.

And sometimes, it’s not sin that keeps me from the Bible. It just isn’t.

So where does one turn at times like these? Here are four suggestions that have helped me.

First, we can turn to other writings. There are many interesting, applicable, congruent authors whose words don’t bring up the anger and hurt of scripture twisted and turned and used out of context. Writers such as Henri Nouwen, Francis Fenelon, Frederick Beuchner, and Ron Rolheiser provide words of healing for the wounded spirit. Truth is truth, no matter if it comes from ancient or modern writers.

Second, we can turn to paraphrases of scripture such as Eugene Peterson’s The Message. The words and stories seem much more in touch with the real world of today and Peterson in particular writes with the pen of an artist.

Third, we can turn to a life coach, counselor or psychiatrist. These qualified professionals can gracefully guide us through the anger and hurt that comes from a dysfunctional religious past.

Fourth, we can turn to community. True friends will NOT judge or shame us when telling them about our inability to read the Bible. True friends will gently come alongside and offer to listen. A wise friend of mine once told me, “The evil one does not necessarily try to keep us from the truth, he tries to keep good friends with the truth from each other.”

But, maybe I’m the only one that struggles with this.

Or, maybe I’m the only one that will admit it.

If you have experienced times like this, where did you turn?

Please join me in this conversation.