Bible Study is not something I’m great at, which is kind of sad since I run a blog all about Jesus and his word. I hate it, but the fact is, I don’t spend as much time in the Word as I should. Here’s my biggest reason: I am easily distracted by everything!
I can barely get half-way through a chapter without my mind wandering off to my to-do list for the day, or I get up to get a cup of water and just never come back. (I know, I know it’s bad, but let’s keep it between us.)
So, to kick this bad habit, I’ve had to get creative and intentional about my bible studying. If this sounds anything like you, try these bible study hacks to help you get more out of your bible time with God.
Create A “Study Zone”
This is a place that is distraction free and forces you to focus on the word. If it’s feasible, try not to do your serious studying at home or work, since these places will constantly remind you of other things you have to do and can easily pull you away from your study.
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Pomodoro Timing
Study in bite-size chunks.
Hours of bible study, while admirable and beneficial, doesn’t always work for everyone. Sometimes those of us who are easily distracted need a break to let our mind wander and scribble down more things in our to-do list before we can get back to focusing on the task at hand.
The trick is to study for 15- 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break and then repeat.
I just use the timer app on my phone to help me with the timing portion of this.
Study a translation that is easy for you to understand
You don’t have to study with you grandma’s bible for your study to count. Study with a bible translation that makes the most sense to you, that way you can spend less time trying to figure out what certain words mean and focus more on understanding the stories and parables and how to apply the word to your life.
I personally like the New Living Translation just because it tends to make the most sense to me.
Start with a small habit
This is ten minutes a day with your favorite devotional or faith-based book like Uninvited.
This book is my personal favorite because they are it’s super inspiring and shows you how to lean into God through another’s experience of self-doubt.
Here’s my challenge for you: try it for 30 days. If you can commit to a small amount of time every day to read about God, you can start to gradually build up to 10 minutes a day studying the book of James, and then 20, and so on and so on.
The reason I challenge you to do this is because I tend to have a bad habit of over-committing myself to things that I can’t realistically do.
For instance, I’ll tell myself I can definitely do 30 minutes of bible study 6 days a week, and then a week passes and I feel incredibly guilty for only studying for 10 minutes one day that week.
What I found worked best for me is setting goals that are easily achievable. Like 10 minutes 3 times a week is totally do-able (even if I feel like it’s a pathetic goal on my part, I do it.)
- To The Girl Struggling With Loneliness- You Are Not Alone
- 7 Encouraging Bible Verses for the Girl Who Feels Overwhelmed
- Trade Your Diet for Faith and Freedom with Taylor Kiser
- 15 Cute & Meaningful Ways to Make Your Husband’s Day
- 10 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I Became A Christian
Listen to the Bible on audio
By far this has been my favorite way to constantly get Gods word into my heart throughout the day, and I do it with Dwell.
Dwell is a free app (available for Android and IOS devices) that offers all kinds of free bible study plans where you can listen to the Bible with/ or without peaceful background music and awesome sound effects.
This app is seriously a game changer in my bible study routine. It’s the fastest way for me to get fully immersed in his word and really dwell in it. I mean, seriously, I can literally feel God’s presence every time I turn this app on.
Commit to a bible study group
This can be online, or in person. But the goal is to make sure you have a group of people keeping to accountable.
I mean, what’s more motivating than not wanting to be sweating buckets and embarrass yourself when someone in your group asks you about what you think about the Bible chapter you were supposed to read before you got there?
So! I hope these quick and easy little bible study hacks helped inspire you to not give up on yourself or your study. If you get easily distracted that’s okay! Get creative and use work arounds to ward off those disruptive thoughts.
If you have some creative funky ways to keep focused, tell us in the comments below!
Blessings,
