When our goal is to read the Bible daily and to get in the habit of consistently reading, it’s important we address how habits are formed.
Reading the Bible every day can be a transformative experience. It can deepen your faith, provide guidance, and give you a sense of peace and purpose. In this blog post, we will explore some of the benefits of reading the Bible daily and provide practical tips for making it a habit.
Benefits of Reading the Bible Daily
- Spiritual Growth: Daily Bible reading can help you grow closer to God and deepen your faith.
- Wisdom: The Bible provides timeless wisdom that can be applied to all areas of life.
- Guidance: Reading the Bible can provide guidance and direction for your life.
- Comfort: The Bible can offer comfort in difficult times and provide hope for the future.
- Connection: Daily Bible reading can help you feel connected to a community of believers who share your faith.
Tips for Reading the Bible Daily
Reading the Bible daily is not something we check off of our to-do list. Reading the Bible deepens our understanding of God but is also a time when we become sanctified by the Word led by the Spirit.
Our human effort alone does not change or transform us. It’s the Holy Spirit who delivers and transforms us, which is why reading the Bible daily is important. God provides the revelation of Himself to those who follow Him.
Our hearts crave revelation of God as much as a relationship with God. He created that spot in our hearts just for Him.
To read the Bible daily and get into the habit, let’s first discuss how a habit is formed.
The definition of a habit is an “automatic response to a specific situation.” Another definition says, “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”
Forming habits starts with our beliefs about what we want.
Here’s how this looks:
- A lie no longer becomes a thought. It becomes a belief.
- Then we begin to live like that belief is true.
- Forming the habit and rewiring our brains.
- Then it can become a stronghold.
We are not our thoughts, but we become our thoughts.
Therefore, our life is the sum of the habits formed by our beliefs which start with our thoughts. Let’s talk about forming habits to read the Bible daily:
- Set aside a specific time each day: Make Bible reading a priority by setting aside a specific time each day to read.
- Use a devotional or study guide: Devotionals or study guides can provide structure and help you engage with the text more deeply.
- Start small: If you’re new to daily Bible reading, start with just a few minutes each day and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable.
- Choose a translation that resonates with you: There are many different translations of the Bible, so choose one that you find easy to understand and that resonates with you.
- Reflect and apply what you read: After reading a passage, take time to reflect on what it means for your life and how you can apply it in practical ways.
When you think about reading the Bible daily, what comes to your mind? What reasoning do you have in place that ensures you do read or don’t read? What have you told yourself about reading the Bible and your beliefs about that? All of these questions are important when addressing how to read the Bible daily.
I do more in-depth training in my mentorship program, where I teach you how to read and study your Bible.
3 Ways to Get Into the Habit of Reading Your Bible
1. Know your learning style.
Are you a visual learner? This would mean you like diagrams, charts, or pictures. Visual learners learn through seeing, so tools like diagrams, flowcharts, pictures and symbols can be key to understanding new concepts.
Are you an auditory learner? This would mean you like to learn by listening. Lectures and discussions help you. Also, you read text out loud or have it read to you. Something like reading out loud to hear the words and how they sound can help you learn.
Are you a read/write learner? This would mean you like to learn through reading and writing. You would enjoy glossaries or re-writing your notes. If you can’t rewrite a definition or describe a concept in your own words, there is a good chance that there is an aspect of that concept that you don’t fully understand.
Are you a kinaesthetic learner? This means you like to learn through doing. You like to use all of your senses.
How does this translate into reading your Bible daily? We want to take how we learn and begin to try something new, like drawing out the scripture to make it come alive. Maybe you start listening to the Bible on audio, and you follow along with the text. Do you need a plan, or does a plan make you want to check things off like a to-do list? Have you tried highlighting or cross-referencing scripture so that it would help you understand better?
God isn’t in a box, and there isn’t only one way to study or one way to read your Bible daily.
2. Don’t stick to a specific time but focus on knowing you will read sometime that day.
I see when people set specific times and fail to meet them. They believe if it’s not done in the morning, they have failed. Don’t focus on the time as much as knowing it’s non-negotiable. You may need to plan it in your day, but you don’t have to stick to a specific time every day, as life always fluctuates.
I do more in-depth training in my mentorship program, where I teach you how to read and study your Bible.
3. Don’t focus on time as much as you focus on depth.
Sometimes we will not read at all if we only have ten minutes to read. We think, what is the point? However, I will challenge you by saying, what if you spent those ten minutes studying just those few passages of scripture? What if you spent the time to read commentary or to see the context of what the author is saying and then spent time praying about the application in your life throughout the day?
We dismiss the small because we don’t think it is significant enough for change. Yet, the small steps are what create change over time. The vast majority of us don’t have hours and hours to read our Bible every day, but we do have pockets of time in our day where we can choose to be with Him then be with Instagram, Facebook, or any other thing we turn to.
Ultimately, don’t make your time with God feel boring or methodical. Mix it up. Learn and try new ways to study and read the Bible daily.
For more, check out my Spiritual Growth Framework mentorship program.
Practical Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Your Daily Bible Reading
- Pray for guidance and understanding before you begin reading.
- Read slowly and reflectively, taking time to meditate on each passage.
- Look for connections between different passages and how they relate to your life.
- Apply what you learn to your daily life and seek to live out the principles and teachings of the Bible.
- Seek guidance from trusted mentors or pastors for further study and interpretation.
Daily Bible reading is an essential part of our spiritual growth and development. By establishing a consistent habit of reading the Bible, we can connect with God, gain wisdom and insight, and develop a deeper understanding of His character and will for our lives. By following these tips and strategies, we can make Bible reading a meaningful and fulfilling part of our daily routine.
Praying for you,
