Deepening your understanding can be very rewarding in various areas.

Better understanding an area of study, or a hobby, or someone we are in relationship with can all be valuable and satisfying.

When I attended seminary, I thoroughly enjoyed one of my classes because of how much understanding I gained through that class and teacher. After every class, I would leave feeling like I understood some portion of Scripture far more than I had ever understood it before. I looked forward to that class and found joy in it because I was gaining understanding of God’s Word.

Nehemiah 8:12 tells us that understanding Scripture is a cause for joy and for celebration.

Nehemiah and the priests have just read Scripture to the people and explained it in a way that was clear and meant to convey understanding.

After finishing, the priests instructed the people to go to their homes and to celebrate with a meal and with fellowship because they now understood God’s Word. This is part of what our community of fellow believers is for. We gather to worship and to help each other gain a deeper understanding of the Bible, and — even more important — a deeper understanding of God. To understand God more deeply is certainly cause for rejoicing!