This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure on the Affiliate Disclosure Page.
Have you ever thought about why you read your Bible? Do you do it just so you can check it off your to-do list? Wouldn’t it be great if reading your Bible didn’t feel like a “chore” you had to do. It could feel like something you want to do every day instead?
Are you reading through a Bible reading plan that makes you feel like you’re checking another thing off the list every day?
At the beginning of 2023, I started a chronological Bible study. I was supposed to read the Bible through (in the order things happened) in a year. It was laid out nicely, with daily plans and information. I loved it.
When life started getting more hectic, there were days I would “get behind.” I’d feel like I wasn’t good enough to keep up. I kept reading. I’d try to “catch up” as much as possible on days when life was slower.
Armor Up Bible Study
Then, in April 2023 (I think), I joined a book club. We read some amazing books (I’ll have to share those later!) Two of the ladies from the book club, the host and one of her friends, wrote a Bible study called Armor Up!!!
It’s an amazing, 10-week study on the Armor of God. I learned to see things in a different way through this study. In order to do this study with the group, I had to pause my chronological study for 10 weeks.
The Armor Up study is 4 days each week, so I had 3 days/week to continue reading the chronological study. Now, I don’t feel like the chronological study is a chore anymore.
Why? I was released from the guilt I was never supposed to feel about missing days. (As I write this, it’s February 18, 2024. Today I completed part of the reading for November 16th.) However, I no longer feel like I’m not good enough.
I’m not trying to check it off of the list anymore.
Pray While Reading
You probably already pray before you start reading your Bible, right?
You ask God to help you understand what you are reading and to teach you something new each time you read a passage. If not, you should be asking God to show you things while you read the Bible.
However, there is a prayer that might seem a little crazy to pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to do anything He needs to in order to make the Scriptures real in your life.
However, don’t pray this prayer unless you mean it.
Once you have prayed it, read with expectation. Expect that the Holy Spirit will reveal new things for your life.
Read Slowly
As Christians, we should read the entire Bible. We should take every verse to heart because it is the Word of God.
However, we should also slow down to read passages and connect to them.
If we prayed to ask the Holy Spirit to connect the Scripture to our lives, then we need to slow down our reading. I’m not saying that the Holy Spirit can reveal things if we are speed reading through the passages, but we should read with intent.
Linger over the passages. Take notes. Write down what God is revealing through His Spirit and His Word.
Pay attention to how the verses reveal God’s character to us and how that should reflect in our lives.
Learn Context
Scripture itself is always important, but there are some days when we need more information.
Dig a little deeper. Learn the context of the passage.
Find the 5Ws and H of what you are reading.
Who?
- Who wrote it?
- To whom was it written?
- Who is it about?
What?
- What was going on in history at the time?
- What time of year was it?
- What festivals or celebrations were being observed?
- What were the people doing?
Where?
- Where did it take place?
- Where were the people going/leaving?
- Where else was mentioned?
- Where was it written?
When?
- When did it happen?
- When is the passage about?
- When was it written?
Why?
- Why was it written?
- Why is this time period/person/place/thing important?
- Why did God choose these people/places/things?
How?
- How does it relate to current situations?
- How does it fit into what was going on at the time in history?
- How can I see Jesus in this passage?
Journal
When I say journal, you might think of writing long pages and paragraphs in a notebook. For you, that might be what journaling is.
However, I think that you can journal your prayers. Write down the things you are praying for. This is a great way to be able to see what God has done and how He has worked/answered prayers.
You can also do Bible journaling. Take notes in a journal (or on your Bible pages). This will help you remember things better. (I know you’ve seen these online. Some are over-the-top creative. Others are small notes written on the pages of the Bible and separate papers that are glued/taped in. Mine is more like the 2nd one than the really creative one.)
You can journal your connections that the Holy Spirit has revealed, write down your context information, or write down questions you have.
Join a Group
I told you earlier that I did a Bible study called Armor Up. Did I mention that we met online in a Zoom meeting twice a month?
It was great. I got to talk to other women who were studying the same thing as me, and see how God was working in their lives through the study.
I’m seriously thinking about starting an online (or in-person) Bible study group for this same study. (I could go through it 10 times and still get new information out of it! It’s that good!)
After being in that Bible study group, I learned that I love being able to share what I’m studying with others. (I’m a teacher by nature, so that makes sense!)
Now, I’m wanting to find (or create) a group where I can do other Bible studies with women. That way we can discuss the passages, ask and answer questions, and see how God is moving in one another’s lives.
Make Bible Reading Less of a Chore
To me, chores are boring. They are usually slow to complete and no fun whatsoever! Am I wrong?
In order to make Bible reading less of a chore, I have given you a few ways that you can liven up your Bible study.
- Ask the Holy Spirit for revelations.
- Read more slowly through the passages.
- Learn the context of what you are reading.
- Journal through your studies and prayers.
- Join a Bible study group.
There are so many other things that you can do as well. However, I think these will help you get started on the right foot.
If you have questions about Bible studying, please leave them in the comments below.