The Bible is a wonderful book (or rather, a collection of books). And while there are many places in Scripture that delight us and are “sweeter than honey” to us (Psalm 19:10), there are verses, passages, and perhaps even entire books of the Bible that are not so sweet to us. The reasons for this can vary. Some passages just don’t feel particularly relevant to our lives. Others, if we’re being honest, feel boring or confusing. At times we may come across a passage that seems to contradict what another passage is saying. And certain passages strike us as disturbing.

This is very common when it comes to Bible reading. So what do we do when we inevitably come across difficult passages? Below are four practices I’ve found to be helpful.

1. Determine the purpose of the book you’re reading.

First Chronicles 1–9 is, in my opinion, the most tedious stretch of Scripture to read. Nine full chapters of names, names, and more names. (Oh, and did I mention names?) But my appreciation for these chapters grew when I dug into why 1–2 Chronicles was written: to remind the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon of the importance of worship. Life was hard for the returned exiles, and they likely felt like Israel’s glory days were behind them. But 1–2 Chronicles reminds them that God was not done with them. They are still His people, and they still have a unique role to play in making His name known to all nations. Seen in this light, 1 Chronicles 1–9 is more than just a list of names: It’s Israel’s story. At a time when the returned exiles were despondent, this list of names would have reminded them that they were part of a story God has been writing since the beginning of the world and that He had not abandoned them.

In my experience, understanding why a book was written has been tremendously helpful when it comes to difficult passages because it helps place those passages into their wider context. With a book’s purpose in mind, we can then consider how this difficult passage might be contributing to that overarching purpose. I’ve found this especially useful when coming across passages that feel irrelevant or boring. I still wouldn’t say that reading 1 Chronicles 1–9 is “fun”! But understanding the greater purpose those chapters serve has certainly helped me to appreciate them.

2. Compare Scripture with Scripture.

Sometimes the Bible strikes us as uncomfortable or even disturbing. Many have struggled with depictions of God’s wrath, for example. There’s also Paul’s comment in 1 Corinthians 14:34 that “women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak.” Far from being “sweeter than honey,” some sections in Scripture come across as quite bitter.

In situations like this, it’s wise to compare the passage you’re reading with other relevant passages. At the very least, I’ve found that doing so prevents me from drawing inaccurate conclusions about what I’m reading, and sometimes it sheds a lot of light on it. Take 1 Corinthians 14:34. Is Paul really saying that women can never speak in church? Comparing this verse with 1 Corinthians 11:5—where Paul mentions women praying and prophesying (speaking!) in the church—I don’t think that’s what he is saying. Plus, given that women are the third group he tells to be silent in a passage about the importance of order in the gathered congregation (1 Corinthians 14:28–34), it may be that Paul is speaking about some specific women at this specific church.

What about God’s wrath? The Bible is abundantly clear that God will bring His wrath on sinners who do not repent of their sins and turn toward Him in faith. That’s a clear and sobering truth. But we also need to remember passages like Exodus 34:6 where God reveals Himself to be “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,” words which are repeated numerous times throughout the Old Testament (Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Joel 2:13). Interestingly, Jonah quotes these words when telling God why he didn’t want to go preach in Nineveh (Jonah 4:2). He was afraid that God would show kindness to that wicked city!

It’s one thing to say that God will judge unrepentant sinners. It’s another thing entirely to say that God loves doing this and goes around looking for opportunities to do so. When we compare Scripture with Scripture, what emerges is a clear and consistent picture that God is slow to bring judgment and is patient toward sinners in the hope that they will turn toward Him in repentance (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11; Jeremiah 18:7–10; Matthew 23:37; 2 Peter 3:9). When we find ourselves disturbed by passages about God’s wrath, we can look at the whole canon of Scripture to remember that God is also merciful.

3. Consult other voices.

People have been reading the Bible for a very long time, so whenever I come across a difficult passage in Scripture, I quickly assure myself that I’m probably not the first person to ask the questions I’m asking. That’s why it is so valuable to consult other voices when wrestling with tricky passages.

This can happen in numerous ways. Resources like study Bibles or commentaries are wonderful aids in this regard. So too are trusted leaders, such as a pastor at your local church or an older believer. Not only may they have insight into the passage that’s troubling you, they may be able to point you to specific resources that will help you. Bring peers into this discussion as well. Even if their answer to the questions you’re asking is, “Whoa, I have no idea,” you at least now have someone else with you on your journey to understand that passage better!

4. Let tension be tension.

Sometimes the Bible just hurts our brains. It says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and also that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 4:21; 8:15). It says that Jesus was handed over to die because of God’s “determined plan and foreknowledge” while holding accountable those who did it (Acts 2:23). Then there’s the Biblical testimony that Jesus is equal to God and also a human being who thirsts, gets tired, etc. Questions abound: Who exactly hardened Pharaoh’s heart? How do we act in freedom if God has determined things in advance? How is Jesus both God and human?

Historically, my reaction to tensions like these is to try and resolve them somehow. The problem, though, is that attempts to relieve tension can easily result in denying Scripture somehow. We might explain God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart in a way that undermines the clear blame that Scripture places on him. We can similarly stress God’s sovereignty over history in a way that diminishes human responsibility (or vice versa). And with Jesus being truly divine and truly human, the early church spent a lot of time countering various explanations of this that had wandered into the territory of heresy.

When it comes to biblical tensions like these, I’ve become much more comfortable with simply proclaiming what Scripture says and nothing more. I think it’s okay to let tension be tension. After all, if God is God, and if God is the ultimate author of Scripture, I shouldn’t be surprised if there are truths in the Bible that I can’t fully wrap my head around. I do believe we should seek to understand the Bible to the extent of our ability, but we also need to be aware of the limits of our understanding. And this in turn helps me to sit in worshipful awe of the God who created me.

Drawing Closer to the Word

What makes a passage of Scripture “difficult” can vary. The above tips may be helpful in some cases but not others. And there are many more tips that could be added. But I pray that they’re a helpful starting point for you when your journey through the Bible brings you to tricky terrain. I truly do believe that all of God’s Word—even passages like 1 Chronicles 1–9!—is indeed “sweeter than honey.” The call, then, is to draw closer to difficult passages rather than running away from them so that we might discover the sweetness in them.

Author Bio:

Scott Dickson serves as a Theological Editor at The Daily Grace Co. He lives with his wife Krystal and their two boys in the Houston area. Scott is deeply passionate about helping people to understand the Bible and how all of it speaks to our everyday lives.

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