---
title: What if I Don’t Understand the Bible?
description: Have you ever struggled to understand the Bible? You’re not alone. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get more out of Scripture.
---

[The I Am Second Blog](https://blog.iamsecond.com)

# [What if I Don’t Understand the Bible?](https://blog.iamsecond.com/what-if-i-dont-understand-the-bible)

 Written by [K.R. Ledbetter](https://blog.iamsecond.com/author/k-r-ledbetter) | October 01, 2026

When you read [Ecclesiastes 1:2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%201%3A2&version=NIV) you do a double take: “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’”

You feel confused. This verse sounds pretty bleak. Does the Bible really teach that nothing matters? Surely not... and yet, the words are right there in black and white. What to do?

It’s normal to feel challenged when reading the Bible. It’s a complicated book that was written across thousands of years in a couple of different languages. Even Jesus’ earliest followers sometimes didn’t realize what the Bible meant, and Jesus himself was standing right there explaining it to them.

You will often encounter parts of the Bible you don’t fully understand on the first, second or tenth time you try. Whenever that happens, there are three important strategies you can use to help yourself grow in understanding.

First, pray. Ask God to give you the wisdom to understand his Word. Next, keep reading. The Bible usually explains what it means, either directly or contextually. Then, ask someone you trust for more information or insight. An experienced follower of Jesus would be a good choice.

Here’s how I tend to handle it when something in the Bible puzzles me.

**Strategy #1: Talk to God**

God is the first *and best* person to turn to when we read something in the Bible that we don’t understand. After all, the Bible is God’s own Word!

Aside from that, God knows everything — past, present and future. In theological terms, he is all-knowing. I love the way the Bible expresses this truth in [Psalm 147:5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20147%3A5&version=NIV): “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” Talking to God, whose understanding is limitless, is a pretty smart first step.

**Praying for Wisdom**

When you ask God for help understanding Ecclesiastes or any other part of the Bible, you can specifically pray for wisdom. There’s a biblical example of praying for wisdom in [2 Chronicles 1](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%201&version=NIV). Solomon, king of Israel, earnestly sought the Lord, asking for the wisdom and knowledge to lead God’s people. Solomon didn’t ask for wealth or glory or long life or anything self-serving. “Therefore, wisdom and knowledge will be given you,” said God.

Solomon prayed for wisdom. Solomon received wisdom.

Just as God did for Solomon, he promises to do for us.

[James 1:5](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A5&version=NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Notice that God doesn’t give a tiny amount of wisdom; he gives lavishly, bountifully, openhandedly, abundantly. He pours wisdom all over you.

Even if you don’t instantly understand all the parts of the Bible that challenge you, God will give you wisdom when you need it.

When I turn my God-given wisdom toward the claim that everything is meaningless, I sense that there is more lying under the surface. Let’s try to gain more insight about Ecclesiastes 1:2 by comparing it to other parts of the Bible.

**Strategy #2: Read Holistically**

You’ve heard the saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Reading the Bible is like that. One part of the Bible informs our understanding of another part. The entire Bible tells the story of Jesus. The whole thing, all together. 

The Bible is an orchestra. If we read just one verse all by itself, we’re tuning out the sound of all the other instruments. That’s not how to listen to a symphony. To better understand the Bible, we need to learn to draw on the context of any given verse or passage.

Take Ecclesiastes 1:2. Everything can’t be meaningless because neither God nor anything he created is meaningless. [Psalm 139](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20139&version=NIV) teaches that God created me, specifically and individually, with love and intention. That truth helps me realize that “everything” must have some limitations. 

**Who’s the Author?**

Let’s look a little further. While we don’t necessarily have to venture across the whole Bible to come to the bottom of the meaninglessness question, we can look within the book of Ecclesiastes for more detail, starting with the author. “The Teacher” is very likely King Solomon himself.

Think about it. Someone directly inspired with God’s wisdom probably wouldn’t say that life is pointless. Especially not given the [famous ruling](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%203%3A27&version=NIV) in which Solomon saves an infant’s life by correctly identifying the mother. Everything being meaningless doesn’t sound like what Solomon would believe. This pushes us to keep reading.

**What’s the Genre?**

We can also identify clues from the type of book that Solomon wrote. Ecclesiastes belongs to a genre called *wisdom literature*. In the Ancient Near East, this often consisted of philosophy about life in the form of dialogue (as in Job) or a rational argument (as in Ecclesiastes).

The Teacher of Ecclesiastes considers wisdom and folly, justice and injustice, pleasure, work, relationships, status and wealth each in turn, explaining through his life experience that none of these will last. His main point is that seeking after earthly gains ultimately has no eternal significance.

Okay, Solomon, I’m following your idea now. It’s not that *literally* everything is meaningless; it’s just that nothing on earth can compare to eternity in Heaven.

Let’s look at the very end of his train of thought in [Ecclesiastes 12:13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ecclesiastes%2012%3A13&version=NIV): “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

## The Sum of Its Parts

Aha! At the end of the book the Teacher explains what *does* have meaning. Given that earthly things are meaningless, we shouldn’t focus on what is earthly. We should love, revere, honor and obey God. This is our duty, our purpose, our calling and our joy.

Now *that* notion accords with what I know is true throughout the Bible.

- [Matthew 6:19-21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A19-21&version=NIV) tells me to save heavenly treasure, not worldly riches.
- [Mark 12:41-44](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012%3A41-44&version=NIV) tells me to give everything I have to God.
- [Ephesians 2:8-10](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%202%3A8-10&version=NIV) tells me that one of the reasons I have been saved is to serve.
- Many other verses support the conclusion of Ecclesiastes.

The Bible as a whole teaches that spending my entire earthly life solely in acquiring advantages for myself would not be living out my calling.

**Strategy #3: Ask for Help**

Although we may have settled a main question about Ecclesiastes 1:2 with the help of the Holy Spirit and other Bible verses, a lot more questions arise for me from the Teacher’s writing.

I’m considering a financial legacy for my descendants. Should I donate my estate instead? My career is in a secular field. Should I quit and pursue ministry as my vocation? Reading fiction is one of my favorite activities. Is it wrong to spend time on something that doesn’t directly serve others? I have chronic mental and physical illnesses. What happens when “utterly meaningless” feels more real than “fear God”?

I can and do bring these questions to God. He is my [Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2019%3A14&version=NIV)! 

And when we walk with other believers in discipleship, more experienced followers of Jesus can share what they’ve learned as well.

**Hearing More Viewpoints**

For more perspectives on your questions about the Bible, I suggest asking for help from a trusted believer or group of believers. (Please note that the internet at large, while often a useful tool, is not a trustworthy source of wisdom.)

The people you seek for additional points of view might be any or all of the following:

- Your Bible study group or church life group
- A staff member of your church
- Someone who has followed God longer than you have
- A believer with a reputation for wisdom and insight

Now, I wouldn’t expect any of these people to take the place of prayer and Bible reading. Rather, I would listen closely to their experiences and then compare their opinions and advice to biblical truth.

If you asked for my take on this verse, I’d say it’s a stark, accurate description of reality. Without Jesus, everything really is meaningless. But with Jesus, our lives on earth take on the richest and most fulfilling meaning possible. We get to seek him, serve him and grow in our understanding.

**Earnestly Seek Him**

It requires faith to believe that God exists and wants us to understand his Word. It requires faith to believe that he rewards those who [earnestly seek him](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2011%3A6&version=NIV). Reading the Bible challenges our faith in the best ways. To understand more, we must seek God more.

If you lack wisdom — or faith or anything else that you need — ask God. He will reward your faithful Bible reading with knowledge and opportunities to serve. These are the treasures to store up in heaven.

Keep reading the Bible. Keep earnestly seeking Jesus.

 

[View full post](https://blog.iamsecond.com/what-if-i-dont-understand-the-bible)

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