It’s easy to underline verses, take notes, and feel inspired by what you read in Scripture—only to realize days later nothing has really changed. In this episode, Rose shares practical ways to bridge the gap between reading and living, so God’s Word takes root in your everyday life. You’ll discover how small, Spirit-led steps can move truth off the page and into your heart and habits.
- Applying Scripture isn’t about copying every example—it’s about drawing out the principle.
- Small, specific steps help truth take root more than vague intentions.
- The Holy Spirit leads application, so transformation is about partnership, not striving.
- Revelation without application rarely leads to transformation.
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A Bible that’s only read but never lived is like packing for a trip you never take. You can have the maps, the stories, the journal—all the gear—but if you never step onto the trail, you’ll miss the adventure. That’s why learning how to apply what you read matters so much. Because Scripture isn’t meant to stay on the page; it’s meant to shape the way we live today.
Hey there, and welcome
Hey there friend, and welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. Like, really a lot.
This is the Beneath the Fig Tree Podcast, and right now we’re in a special season called the 119 Bible Bootcamp—a grace-filled journey through Psalm 119 to help you cultivate a devotional life you really love.
We are right in the middle of Gathering Your Gear—this compass point is all about making sure you’ve got the tools and the mindsets you’ll need for the journey ahead. Because once we move into Reading the Clues, you’ll be digging into Scripture in deeper ways, and I want you to feel equipped to not just read God’s Word, but to live it.
Today we’re talking about one of the most essential skills to carry with you: how to actually apply what you read. Because if we’re honest, it’s really easy to underline, highlight, even journal about a verse—and then set the Bible aside and go about our day unchanged.
But Psalm 119 reminds us of a different posture: “I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.” (verses 59–60, NLT).
Notice the movement—reading leads to pondering, and pondering leads to turning. It’s about letting the Word shape our steps.
How to Read the Bible for Living, Not Just Learning
Think of applying scripture as a lens in your gear. It’s like putting on glasses: once they’re on, everything you see is filtered through them. Without that lens, you may see the words clearly but miss how they connect to your life.
Here’s what I mean: most of us read the Bible first for understanding:
What does this say?
What does it mean?
Those are good questions, but they’re not enough on their own. If we stop there, we end up with notes in a journal, highlighted verses, maybe even deep insights—but no change.
When you put on the application lens, you add another question:
“If I believe this is true, how can I live like it’s true today?”
That question shifts the focus from head knowledge to heart transformation. It’s not about collecting Bible trivia or filling pages with reflections. It’s about carrying something from the page into the way you think, the choices you make, the conversations you have.
For example, let’s say you read Psalm 119:105—“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Without the application lens, you might underline it and think, “That’s a beautiful image.” But with the lens on, you might ask: “Where am I walking in the dark right now? How could God’s Word light one small step in front of me today?”
The application lens doesn’t change what the Bible says—it changes how you see it, and how you let it shape your life.
Candy Corn Wars
I remember years ago journaling about a lifelong frustration with my relationship with food. I don’t remember the exact verse that sparked it, but I remember how alive Scripture felt to me that day.
It was one of those moments where you think, “I’ll never be the same. This is it. God has spoken. Everything’s going to change.”
And for a few days, it did feel that way. That verse and the prompting of the Holy Spirit stayed with me. But not long after, I slipped back into old habits, and that “life-changing” moment faded.
Months—maybe even a year later—I came back to the very same passage, still fighting the same battle. I was so frustrated. How could a moment that felt so powerful have led to no actual change?
So I journaled again.
I committed again.
And it fizzled… again.
Looking back, I see the problem. I thought the lightbulb moment alone was enough to change me. But I never did anything with it. I didn’t apply it. I didn’t ask the Holy Spirit, “How do I live this out so it actually takes root in my life?”
I titled that entry Candy Corn Wars—it must have been around October, and I’d probably just struggled with eating the whole bag instead of enjoying a few pieces.
It doesn’t feel funny looking back. It was painful, and discouraging, because I wanted to change. But it did teach me something that has shaped the way I approach Scripture now: revelation without application rarely leads to transformation.
Finding the Principle in Scripture
Sometimes applying the Bible feels tricky because it isn’t always written like a checklist of to-dos. But application isn’t about copying every example—it’s about drawing out the principle.
A principle is the underlying truth or value that still holds, even if the circumstances look different in your life than they did in the Bible.
Think of David facing Goliath. The takeaway isn’t “go pick up a slingshot.” The principle is that courage grows when you trust in God’s power, not your own. That principle can apply in a hundred different ways—walking into a hard conversation, stepping out in faith with a new opportunity, resisting fear when you feel small.
Or take Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. The principle isn’t that every Christian has to literally wash feet—it’s that love takes the form of humble service. For you, that might look like showing up for someone in need, taking the lower place at work or home, or serving in a way that costs you something.
Principles are what make Scripture timeless. The details may belong to another culture or setting, but the principle shows you how to live out God’s heart right here, right now.
Practical Bible Application in Everyday Life
One of the biggest roadblocks to applying scripture is that we aim too big. We read something like “Love your neighbor as yourself” and suddenly feel like we have to overhaul our entire personality by dinner. That kind of pressure almost guarantees we’ll give up before we even start.
Here’s the shift: don’t think in terms of “change your whole life”—think in terms of “take one step.”
Small and specific applications are powerful because they’re doable.
Instead of “I need to love people more,” you might choose, “Today I’m going to text encouragement to one friend who’s been on my mind.”
Instead of “I need to forgive everyone who’s ever hurt me,” it could be, “I will pray once today for the person I’m struggling to forgive.”
This is also where we can apply the 24-hour rule: if you can do it within the next 24 hours, it’s probably a good application step. That helps keep it practical instead of vague.
Think about it in terms of Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Without a small and specific step, that’s just a lofty idea. But you could decide, “I’m going to write this verse on a sticky note and put it on my bathroom mirror so I see it every morning this week.” That’s small, specific, and doable—and over time, those small steps add up to lasting change.
Transformation usually comes through daily obedience in the little things, not sweeping, overnight revolutions.
Asking God to Guide Your Next Step
Here’s something important to remember: applying the Bible isn’t about gritting your teeth and trying harder. If application becomes just another checklist, we’ll slip right back into striving, and God’s Word will start to feel like a burden instead of a gift.
The truth is, not every verse you read is going to lead to an immediate action step. Sometimes the Word calls you to do something. Other times, it calls you to be something—to shift your posture, to change the way you see, to trust in a deeper way. And that’s why inviting the Holy Spirit into this step is so crucial.
After you read, try asking: “Holy Spirit, what do You want me to carry from this into my day?”
Sometimes the nudge will be very practical—send encouragement, confess something, make a decision in faith. Other times, it may be more internal—wait, trust, let go of worry, rest in God’s love.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain.”
That’s not a to-do list item; it’s a heart posture. You might pray, “Lord, today help me want what You want more than what I want.” That’s application, too.
Or verse 114: “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” Applying that might simply mean pausing when you feel anxious, taking a deep breath, and whispering, “You are my hiding place.”
And a bit of encouragement: transformation isn’t your job alone. Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” You don’t have to grit your teeth and force change. That’s God’s work in you.
Your part is to lean in, cooperate, invite Holy Spirit to do His work and to show you the next step. It’s not about pressure; it’s about partnership.
If you’d like some help carrying this into your week, I made a printable to help you walk through the same steps we talked about here.
Friend, this is why applying scripture is part of Gathering Your Gear. Because you can have the map and the stories, but if you never step onto the trail, you’ll miss the adventure.
So don’t just pack the truth away in your notes—use it. Live it. That’s where the transformation really happens.
Next week, we’ll talk about what makes this hard—because even with the best intentions, we all run into struggles when it comes to Bible study. And then we’ll wrap up this compass point with how to build rhythms that last.
Until then, let’s cultivate a devotional life you love. Like, really love. Because it is possible—and it’s easier than you think.
