Hey Bestie! Let’s talk about how to read the Bible when you don’t want to.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1IYXABnTL9k6VwKylyrTaQ?si=KHwzW_PiSpasLPkWKxMMlg
Let me start off by saying this: You’re not wrong for not wanting to read your Bible.
I’m saying this first because I know you may feel guilty for not reading it. You probably have moments when you really want to read, but you don’t feel excited about it.
And if we’re honest, scrolling on social media or binging a show can feel much more appealing.
But why?
That’s the question I want us to journey through today.
There are so many things competing for our attention, but I believe that God will meet us exactly where we are.
This post is all about how to read the Bible when you don’t want to.
Are you ready? Let’s geaux!
We’re not going to waste any time. We’re going to get straight into it, but first, we have to take some inventory.
1. Ask Yourself Why
Ask yourself this question, but not in a judgmental way. Ask from a place of observation.
Be honest about your thoughts surrounding reading the Bible.
- What do you actually think about it?
- Is it boring to you?
- Do you just not understand it?
- Would you rather watch a video instead?
What comes to mind when you think about sitting down to read the Bible?
Journal about it as if God himself is asking you these questions.
2. Take Account Of What You’ve Been Consuming
The mind is like an aircraft. It will fly and land according to the coordinates you set.
So, what are the things that you have been consuming? Make a list of what you’ve been watching and listening to.
This includes music, people, podcasts, social media, shows, and anything else that’s consistently taking your attention.
It’s not about judging what you’ve been consuming. It’s about removing distractions.
Doing this can help you figure out what coordinates you’ve been setting for your mind.
3. Challenge Your Thoughts Around Reading The Bible
At one point, I didn’t want to read my Bible because I associated it with more work.
If I had to summarize my thoughts into one, it would have been: “I don’t want to read because I’m already overwhelmed, and reading the Bible feels like more work.”
Valid reason not to read it, right? But then God challenged me.
He reminded me of the scripture that says to come to Him when we’re weary and heavy laden and that He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28 ESV).
I wouldn’t have known that scripture if I hadn’t read my Bible.
And that scripture alone challenged my thoughts about the Bible feeling like work.
{RELATED POST: How To Turn Negative Thoughts To Positive Thoughts}
4. Create Better Thoughts Around Reading The Bible
Again, this goes back to your thoughts around reading the Bible.
If your thought is:
“I don’t like reading the Bible because I don’t understand it,” challenge it.
You can replace it with:
“God is giving me understanding as I spend time with Him.”
It’s not really about reading the Bible just to say you read it.
The Bible is an avenue we use to learn God’s mind, His heart, and His ways. So if your thoughts about Bible reading are making you want to run away from it, it’s worth asking yourself:
Are these thoughts from God or are these thoughts based on my feelings?
{RELATED POST: 9 Strategies To Trust God Beyond Emotion}
Now that we’ve taken inventory, let’s get into some practical steps for how to read the Bible when you don’t want to.
How To Read The Bible When You Don’t Want To
1. Be Honest With God About It
The truth is, you’re never alone in anything. God is with you even in this.
Talk to Him about it as many times as you need to.
Ask Him to help you read His word. He will honor your honesty and give you the power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13 ESV).
2. Remember What You’re Actually Doing
Reading the Bible is a tool to spend time with God. You’re not reading the Bible just to read the Bible.
You’re spending time with your Bestie Forever. Reframe it.
This is an avenue I’m using to spend time with God, learn His mind, and get to know His heart.
That changes the way you approach it.
3. Bring In Some Playfulness
Can I just say it? Stop being so serious and stiff when it comes to God.
Sometimes, we drain the color from our relationship with God because we think that we have to be super serious with Him all the time.
Think about how you can bring some playfulness into your Bible-reading time.
- Maybe you can grab some colors and decorate a memory verse with Him.
- Maybe you can read the Bible in an accent.
- Or maybe you can make up a song using a verse.
Have some fun with it.
Sometimes it’s about how we approach something and our perception of what we’re doing.
We forget that we are His children. Children are free.
So why are we so stiff?
{RELATED POST: Does God Want Us To Be Afraid Of Him}
4. Read A Little At A Time
When a baby is learning to eat, they start on liquids, and they gradually work their way towards solid foods as they grow.
You may be in a place where you can only read a couple verses a day and that’s more than okay!
You may actually be able to get more out of those two verses because you’re thinking about them throughout the day.
It’s not a competition of how much you can read or a pass-or-fail assignment.
When it comes to reading the Bible, God will set the pace as you come.
Start with what you can handle and work your way up from there.
5. Take The Pressure Off Of Yourself
Remember, you are a child of God.
And what are children? They’re dependent.
God is probably sitting there waiting on you to say:
“Daddy, I need you. I don’t feel like it today. Will you just meet me here?”
Depend on God to help you. The truth is that you will have moments when you don’t want to read your Bible.
That doesn’t mean that something is wrong with you. It means that you’re human and that you don’t have to figure any of this out alone.
6. Discipline Yourself
Discipline creates desire. Whatever you consistently do, watch, or entertain, you will desire more of it.
It’s just like eating healthy for a period of time. The more you do it, the more your body will crave it.
The same principle applies to what you’re feeding your mind and spirit.
Every day, grab your devotional. Choose to either read or listen to your Bible after you take care of your hygiene.
It can be one verse, two verses, or even a chunk of scripture. Just stick with it and you will begin to crave what you’ve been feeding yourself.
Bestie, you won’t always want to read your Bible. You aren’t a bad person for that.
God isn’t sitting there judging you because you don’t want to open your Bible.
He is aware, and guess what? He is meeting you right where you are.
This post was all about how to read the Bible when you don’t want to.
Before You Go…Let’s Recap
We’re taking inventory once again:
- Ask yourself why-Why do you feel the way you feel about the Bible?
- Take account of what you’ve been consuming-What are the things you have been consuming?
- Challenge your thoughts around reading the Bible.
- Create better thoughts around reading the Bible.
If You Enjoyed This Post, You’ll Love These:
How To Start Reading The Bible Again When You’ve Lost Desire
How To Get Close To God Again When You Feel Disconnected
How To Start Again After Quitting On Yourself
Grab Your Free Resources
Don’t forget to access Bestie’s Belongings. This is a FREE Resource Library designed just for you. Click the image down below to explore your resource library!
To stay up to date with all things Blissful-Faith, join the community——————->HERE!
——————->CLICK HERE to follow Blissful-Faith’s Youtube!
——————->CLICK HERE to follow Blissful-Faith’s Pinterest!
Always remember that you’re destined to win because He got up!
-Devyn Janae
Leave a Reply