How To Start Reading The Bible Consistently
As Christians, there will be something inside of us that wants to read the Bible. A desire that we can’t explain and shouldn’t ignore. But many times, even if the spirit is willing the flesh is weak, isn’t it?
I thought about this one day as I had a conversation with my friend. She admitted that she rarely reads the Bible. The verse-of-the-day from an app is about the only Bible she consistently reads. My sweet friend wanted to have a consistent time reading God’s Word but just didn’t feel capable of understanding and didn’t feel justified in putting in time when she had a million other things on her to-do list.
We talked about a game plan to help her begin reading and eventually gain consistency with her Bible reading time. Before we went any further, I wanted her to know that she shouldn’t worry too much about “getting it” as some understanding comes naturally the more you read.
Because these steps worked for her and since I know this is an issue for many Christian women, I thought I would share with you as well.
5 Steps You Can Take To Develop A Consistent Bible Reading Routine
Pray before changing anything.
Because we know the enemy will come immediately, we need to be prayed up. If we truly have a desire to read the Bible more, the Holy Spirit will help us. He will not open the book for us and He will not force us. We must go to Him in prayer, admit we are lacking in this area and ask for His help.
Make a plan.
Like any routine, it is too easy to skip reading the Bible when you haven’t put a workable plan in place.
When do you think you could take time out of your day to read? Could you find 15 minutes a day? Would morning, afternoon, or evening work best for you? Would 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there work better for you? Do you think you would rather randomly read through the Bible or would a reading plan you could follow along with work better for you? Where do you think you would enjoy sitting and reading? Do you need to find an easier-to-understand Bible version?
The truth is, your plans will change. But if you hope to establish a routine, you have to start somewhere. If you don’t take the time to plan, you won’t stick with anything. “I’ll get to it when I have time” quickly turns into “I don’t have time”.
Make a commitment to yourself and to the Lord.
But please don’t make your commitment lightly. If you say you will do something, God expects you to do it. In the beginning, you might only be able to commit to reading a few proverbs or a psalm. When I was beginning to establish my quiet time habit, I stayed in the book of Proverbs and read a chapter a day.
If it helps you, on the days you read your Bible put a tick mark on your calendar so that you can look back and see that you have been faithful. Eventually, you will find yourself having a desire to read the Bible even more. Remember though, you aren’t after legalism but consistent, steady feasting on the word of God.
Gather your supplies together.
Go to the local dollar mart and grab a cute basket. Put your Bible, a notebook, pens, highlighters, a candle, and whatever else you think you might want during your study into your basket. Put the basket wherever you plan to do your reading. Some people prefer the kitchen table, some prefer their favorite chair.
With your supplies right there, you don’t have an excuse to put off reading because you have to stop and gather your things. Because we all know if you find an excuse to wander away you are going to find 5 more reasons not to get back to your reading.
Take it slow and steady.
Developing a quiet time routine will develop one day at a time, one decision at a time. Read chapters, not verses (or sentences). In the beginning, don’t try to read whole books at once. It’s not necessary but it helps to get an overview of a book of the Bible if you start reading at the beginning of a book and work your way through. Focus on one chapter at a time.
But don’t try to constantly read. If you aren’t used to it, you will get burnt out and start looking for excuses not to go near your Bible. Take the time to read your Bible then give yourself the grace to spend time thinking about what you read earlier. Can you sum up what you’ve just read? How could it apply to your life? Does it show God’s character? Who was speaking in the chapter? Who were they speaking to? What was the point or theme or life lesson of the chapter? As you think through your reading, you will naturally be committing it to memory.
Don’t worry about remembering chapter and verse numbers. They will come eventually.
Also, as tempting as it might seem, don’t try to study until you are consistently reading. That would be like putting the cart before the horse. There will be plenty of time for you to study as you develop a steady routine.
He Is Worth It
I pray these tips will inspire you to start reading the Bible consistently.
Sister, when you look around you might get the idea that you are the only one who struggles in this area. But the truth is, everyone struggles to stay consistently in Scripture. The key is to find a time, a place, and a Bible version that works for you and to make a commitment.
As your relationship with Jesus deepens, you will be so thankful that you made the effort!