Books and Christianity

I love to read. It is rare I even leave the house without bringing a book with me. Generally speaking, I’m usually in the process of 3 different books at a time - one for growth, one for fun, and one as an audiobook. My list of books I want to read only ever grows.

I think that you can learn a lot about God through reading, even if you aren’t reading exclusively Christian books. When I read a well-done fantasy book I get chills thinking about the mastery and creativity that God gives some humans. That thought then causes me to view God’s design of creation and His salvation plan with even greater awe. When I read a suspense book and get sucked into the fascinating ways people’s brains work, I learn more about how intricately God has created people. When I read a book for growth, I gain a better understanding of how God created my brain and my body and how I have been designed to glorify Him through all I do.

Whenever you read you need to use discernment. It should go without saying, but the same rule should really apply for all of life.

There are books I’ve started that I’ve abandoned for many different reasons. All creativity comes from the Lord, and so I do hold to the idea that you can find bits of God in everything with good in it. Sometimes, however, discernment means recognizing that a book doesn’t hold enough wisdom to outweigh the things it is valuing.

I wanted to share a few of the books that I have read that have taught me things about God. These books are not all Christian, which means I would strongly implore you to use your own discernment while reading. Even Christian books are written by humans. The only book I recommend reading for it being 100% truth is the Bible. But the following list has taught me a lot about God, how He wires us as humans, and how I can live to glorify Him with my whole being.

1. 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

2. Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up

3. Forgiveness and Justice: A Christian Approach

4. Atomic Habits

5. What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

6. Not a Fan

Please feel free to share further recommendations in the comments below.