Have you ever started a daily Bible reading plan with the hopes of finishing it in a year (or two) and then quit a few months in? Your busy schedule getting in the way of having adequate Bible reading time. Or have you ever rushed through a reading plan only to check off a box and not engage or remember what you read?

If you said yes, you are in the majority, I know I am guilty of both (🙈). Most people think that devout Christians have the discipline to read the Bible religiously (pun intended). As if we never get bored, or tired, or too busy to open up the word.

But let’s be honest… the Bible can be hard to read for us, too. But why?

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Hard to read the Bible

Why is it so hard to read the Bible? You would think that once we understood why we need to read the Bible, we would just do it - develop a consistent Bible reading habit, yet we don’t. Because understanding something doesn’t always lead to changed behavior.

We all know drinking 4 cups of coffee a day isn’t good for us, but that doesn’t stop me from chugging it down as if my life depended on it. Something always gets in the way. The same thing happens with our “quiet time.”

The Bible doesn’t have to be hard to read. The problem is either we are “too busy” to stick with our plan, we find the Bible downright boring, or we simply don’t understand.

Too Busy

The American Bible Society survey of 2017 revealed that most Americans want to read the Bible, but they are too busy. We are too busy taking care of kiddos, investing in our marriages, being good friends, working outside (or inside) the home, keeping our homes clean, meal planning, meal prepping, working out, volunteering, serving our neighbors, etc.…

By trying to do it all, we quickly become overburdened and overwhelmed that the first thing to go is our time with God.

In a world where we are so focused on being efficient and effective to the point of over-scheduling, we need to accept that time in the Word is the best investment we can make.

Chances are we aren’t too busy. Instead, there are probably other factors at play.

What does the Bible say about being too busy for God?

“Be still, and know that I am God; …” - Psalm 46:10, NIV

We are called to be still and know that He is God. If we are too busy doing everything else, how can we ever be still enough for God?

When The Bible Is Boring

When we live busy lives, every spare minute is crucial. This means we aren’t going to spend our only free time doing something we don’t enjoy (like reading through some of the Old Testament...).

So, how can we read the Bible without getting bored? Well, why do you find it boring? Most people would probably say it’s boring because they either don’t understand the Bible, can’t apply it, are “too busy”/tired to focus on it, or are disinterested in it.

Thankfully, reading the Bible doesn’t have to be boring.

What is a fun way to read the Bible?

Firstly, make sure you are reading a translation you understand. Ditch the old English and try something in a more modern language like the New International Version or English Standard Version.

If those still don’t pique your interest, check out an Action Bible or illustrated Bible. If it worked for Angie Smith it could work for you.

Secondly, change up your Bible reading plan. If you’ve been in the Old Testament for too long, go to New Testament. If you are bored with your reading plan, ditch it and try something new. These Simple Bible Reading Plans may be a good place to start.

Third, try listening to the Bible. If reading it puts you to sleep, open up the Dwell App and listen to their Bible readings. You won’t regret it.

Lastly, if none of those options work, check out the Bible Projects videos. These fantastic videos bring to life the story of the Bible.

Don’t Understand

If the main reason you don’t read or stick to your Bible reading plan is that you don’t understand, then you have come to the right place. The Bible can be too complicated to understand for various reasons (for example, reading a difficult translation or having no background knowledge).

If you don’t understand the Big Story of the Bible, check out Angie Smith’s Seamless Bible Study. You can find most of the videos for free online if you search well (hint - Vimeo). This Bible Study book will help you understand the overall story of the Bible, which should hopefully make your future Bible reading more enjoyable.

Resources to Help you Understand:

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Six tips for a consistent Bible reading habit

Now that we understand why we struggle with reading our Bible, I want you to repeat after me - I am not too busy to read the Bible. Great! Now, keep repeating it until you believe it because it’s true. We aren’t too busy to read the Bible; we simply aren’t prioritizing it correctly.

I am not here to judge you for it. We are all here because we want to make time for reading the Bible but have so far failed.

Whether it’s because we are “too busy” or find the Bible incredibly dull, we can develop an actual daily habit.

1. Find the right translation for you.

If I haven’t beat this horse enough, you need to find the best translation for you. It’s unhelpful to read the Bible in a language you don’t understand. It doesn’t matter if that language is German, Spanish, or Old English. It’s still foreign for many of us.

Reading the right translation can make the difference between reading and engaging with scripture or falling asleep as we force ourselves to open up the Word. Thankfully, there are so many different translations to choose from. So find what works for you, and give it a shot.

2. Pick a plan.

When we have a plan in place, we are more likely to stick to it. We understand the importance of planning our meals, planning our workouts, and planning our vacations, but when it comes to our Bible reading, plans become non-existent.

Instead, find a plan that fits your season of life. If you have a newborn or are working 60+ hour weeks, a Bible reading plan that requires 30+ minutes of reading a day won’t work. These 3 Bible Reading Plans are a perfect start.

Another option is the newest Bible Reading Plan for Busy Women: 31 Days in the Book of Proverbs.

3. Don’t catch up

The most discouraging part of following a plan is falling behind. Because sometimes we fall so far behind, catching up becomes impossible. Instead of trying to “catch up,” we need to let go of the perfectionism and pick up where we left off even if that means skipping portions of the plan.

God cares more about our hearts than he does about how well we follow a plan. Show up because you want to know Him better, not because you need to check off a box. He will know.

So, if you fall into the “too busy” category, stop trying to cram it all in. If your schedule really has no wiggle room, then do what you can and get ride of any guilt that’s keeping you from moving forward.

4. Find an accountability partner or a group.

Plugging yourself into a community group or bible study group is a great way to peer pressure you into reading your Bible. We all struggle with devoting time to the Word, but accountability partners or groups work.

We were created to be in community. Use each other to encourage time in the Word. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how to be creative with making virtual community happen.

I have participated in Google Meets and Marco Polo Bible Studies with friends when my season of life didn’t allow in person meet ups.

5. Prioritize Correctly

Probably the most important tip is to look at our priorities. We prioritize what we consider essential. For some, that’s sleep, for others it can be working out, cleaning, or the latest season on Netflix.

If we believe that reading the Bible is essential, then we will prioritize it.

It may mean waking up early or staying up a bit later. It may mean skipping the bachelor/bachelorette, and it may even mean missing your workout. The value in devoting time to God far exceeds the value in devoting our time elsewhere.

When you look at your daily habits, is there one thing you do every single day that isn’t a “must”? For example, working out. If you have time to workout every day, but don’t have time to read your Bible, then you may be prioritizing incorrectly.

6. Remove Unbiblical Stipulations

There are so many myths surrounding the idea of “quiet time,” that is, the time we spend in prayer and reading our Bible.

Gretchen Saffles from Well-Watered Women put it perfectly, “Having a ‘quiet time’ isn’t about finding a specific formula, it is about knowing the God of the universe and learning about your Savior, Jesus Christ. This comes through the regular practice of reading the Word, studying it within its context, praying fervently, and then, through the Holy Spirit’s power, living what we read out in daily life.”

There is no hard rule that we need to spend 60 minutes of uninterrupted time in the Word. We place unbiblical stipulations that deter us from pursuing and learning more about God.

So, if we still struggle to show up after prioritizing correctly, know that reading for a few minutes is still beneficial and worthy of your time.

If you have no desire to read the Bible even though you know you should, I urge you to pray. Pray God changes your heart towards His word. If you are too tired, too bored, or too busy, know that we are in this together.

The desire to devote time to reading scripture won’t always be there, but we can have the discipline required to keep showing up with the Holy Spirit.

Even if your Bible study time has grown stagnant, don’t let it stay there. Try the six tips outlined above to help you develop a more consistent daily reading habit. And remember, when you get sidetracked and fall off the Bible reading train, just get back on and keep moving forward.

What better place to start than the The Busy Womens 31 Day Bible Reading Plan: Proverbs Wisdom for your daily life