Interpreting Scripture

The best thing I ever did in seeking to interpret scripture was to stop. Stop. Rather than seeking to interpret scripture, which was really only an exercise in trying to make it mean what I wanted it to mean, I quit. I stopped looking through a denominational lens. I put aside the study Bibles and commentaries and just prayerfully read the scriptures unvarnished, unglossed. I simply read the scriptures and sought to understand exactly what they were saying rather than seeking some hidden meaning.
I was surprised how many things that are explicitly put in scripture that I had either entirely missed or taken to mean something else. Like a swimmer that has finally come out of the chlorine fog, I could suddenly see what was right in front of me clearly.
As I opened my mind to the words of scripture and immersed myself in them, I discovered that I needed to make some difficult changes. Not only did I have a great deal more personal growth to undergo than I had previously imagined, I needed to join a different church. This was a painful decision, and I thought I would lose friends over it. Fortunately, many were running a parallel path of seeking to mature as Christians. They understood that I had to go where I had been led by the Holy Spirit, and they have cheered me on as I have grown up spiritually in many ways.
If you want to grow spiritually, if you want to imitate Christ, stop. Read the gospels without all the study guides at hand. Spend some time reading and thinking deeply about exactly what the scriptures say. St. Benedict called this Lectio Divina. Prayerfully reading scripture and stopping to meditate on the words that really strike us. When the Holy Spirit teaches you something in the scriptures, put it into practice. Each day, as you do this, little by little you will take on the qualities of Christ in your everyday life. I can assure you of this because I have experienced it.
In addition to this, it is important to understand scripture as it was meant. Ask yourself these questions: What was the cultural atmosphere in which this was written? Who wrote it? Who was the intended audience? What was the author's intention?  If you understand the context in which scripture was written, it will take on its intended meaning. There is great treasure stored in the words of scripture. Properly understanding them can greatly enhance your spiritual life and allow you to engage your intellect in tandem with your heart. It is a truly amazing, enlightening experience.
I am not finished growing and changing and perfecting my faith; I am still on
that journey. One day I will reach the perfection I have been called to by the Lord Jesus Christ, and see Him face to face. Until then, I will be on the journey of learning how wide and how deep and how high the savior's love for me is. Keep journeying! :-)