I love Spring! It’s a time when many of us spend much of our days outside in our gardens. I love watching the progression of new growth. However, in order for our plants to flourish they need some tending to, right?. A thriving garden requires our care and our time. In a similar way, our relationships require this type of attention. And our relationship with the Lord is no different. If we want to be growing closer to the Lord, we must be spending time with Him. Understanding why and how to develop a habit of reading the Bible is an important part of our relationship with Him.
What Happens When You Read the Bible Every Day?
Spending time in prayer and Bible study is how we nurture our relationship with our heavenly Father.
The Bible is God’s revealed Word to us. Not only does it teach us about who God is and what He has done for us, but also it’s living and actively working in our lives. God, in cooperation with the indwelling Holy Spirit, uses His Word to speak into our hearts and circumstances.
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12 NASB
God’s Word is able to reveal the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and empower us to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him. Remembering this promise is a great way to motivate yourself to read the Bible every day.
How to Develop the Habit of Reading the Bible Daily
So how, exactly, should you start reading the bible daily? Well, there’s no perfect recipe or technique for getting into the Word each day, here are some ideas that you may find helpful.
Ask Him to Give You a Desire for His Word
So, it may seem weird, but I believe the Lord is pleased when we ask Him to give us a desire to know Him. He understands our weaknesses. He knows that we are still wrestling with our flesh and worldly desires. Asking Him to give us a hunger for His word and a desire to know Him shows our humility. It’s proof that we understand our need for Him and His power to work in our hearts each day.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4
I used to think this verse meant that if I delight myself in the Lord that He would give me the object of my heart’s desire. More recently I’ve started to understand this verse a bit differently. It’s not that He gives us the object of our longings, but rather it’s that He gives us the longings. He places desires within our hearts that are in alignment with His will.
So, ask Him to give you a desire for developing the habit of reading the Word every day.
Have a Plan for Reading the Bible Every Day
Having a plan is one of the greatest ways in developing the habit of reading the Bible every day. A routine for Bible study will help you stay focused when reading the Bible. It also helps you to remain faithful and consistent.
Here are a few things to consider as you start setting your own goals for Bible reading and study.
Choose a Time of Day
Decide what time of the day would work best for you to spend some time with the Lord in His Word. If you are a busy stay-at-home mom, the best time for you may be in the evenings after the kids are in bed.
If you work outside the home, maybe you can plan to spend some of your lunch hour each day reading your Bible.
For me, right now, the mornings have been working the best. We are a homeschool family. My husband works until 7 or 8 in the evenings so we generally stay up later. My kids are accustomed to sleeping in which makes mornings the best time for me.
Choose a Space
After you’ve gotten your time set, another good idea is to figure out your place. Where is a spot you can go where there will be limited distraction? I know for many of us this can be hard. Maybe it’s your bedroom. Your office. Or your closet.
There have been seasons when I just have to grab my Bible and sit out on my couch with my little ones running around and interrupting me every few minutes.
But you know what? God gives us grace in these seasons!
More recently, I have been sitting at the desk that I have in my bedroom. I have a corkboard on the wall next to my desk where I pin 3×5 cards with verses and declarations. I also purchased a clip-on desk lamp that can be dimmed so I don’t wake up my husband on the mornings that he sleeps in.
Gather Your Tools
Finally, after you have figured out your time and place, gather all the Bible study tools you will need. Here are a few of my favorite study tools:
- Bible study journal for writing down my thoughts,
- Printable Bible study worksheets for guiding me through different methods of Bible study
- Bible reading plan and calendar with a list of verses to read each day
- Colored pens/pencils for illustrating or marking my Bible
Keeping your tools in your designated space is a great way to help you stay organized and grow in your habit of reading the Bible every day.
Methods of Reading the Bible
There are many different ways that you can get into the Word daily. Here are a couple of different reading plans that are great for helping us to read the Bible effectively.
Get the Monthly Reading Plan Printables
- Get a monthly topical Bible reading plan
- Read through the Bible in one-year reading plan
- Read through the Bible in two years reading plan
- One-year chronological Bible reading plan
Best Order to Read the Bible for the First Time
If you are a new Christian and new to learning how to develop the habit of reading your Bible, I suggest that you start by reading the gospels. These are the first four books in the New Testament. And actually, I recommend that you start with the book of John. John gives us some great foundational teaching about the life and deity of Jesus.
Once you have finished the four gospels, finish the rest of the New Testament. The New Testament gives us more foundational teaching and principles for Christian living. Then, go back to the Old Testament.
Read the Bible for the first time in this order:
- Gospel of John
- Matthew, Mark, Luke
- Rest of the New Testament
- Old Testament
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