Practicing Presence: Tips for Studying Scripture

4 tips and tools to help you stay fully focused and engaged when studying Scripture

We’re halfway through the year, and it can be easy to let routines take control and simply go through the motions. That’s definitely true for our jobs or meal planning—but it can also be true for our relationships, our prayer lives and our faith.

If you’re a regular reader of The Bookery, you’re likely already someone who believes it’s important to spend time studying Scripture. But if you’re human—and you get tired, unfocused, emotional or even bored—it’s pretty easy to let your mind and heart go on autopilot and simply go through the motions when you sit down to study the Bible.

With that in mind, we’re offering a few tips for studying Scripture that will shake up your Bible study time so that you can be fully engaged and present when you open God’s Word.

1. Change up the format. If you’re struggling to stay focused and engaged when studying Scripture, maybe it’s time to take a slightly different approach or engage a different set of senses. Do you always sit quietly and read the Bible? Go for a walk and use your favorite Bible app to listen to a reading plan or section of Scripture while you walk. Always use a particular devotional app or plan to guide your study? Try a different one, if only for a month or two to help you re-engage and refocus.
   

2. Dive deep. There’s a difference in reading Scripture devotionally and studying Scripture. This summer, devote yourself to a deep study of a section or book of the Bible that intrigues or interests you. Definitely set aside time to read it, but also include time to consult your study Bible notes or consult commentaries. Reading one of Paul’s letters? Learn about the time period in which he was writing and the city where the church was located so that you can better understand the message of the epistle for a specific audience in a specific setting. It’s vitally important to read Scripture in context rather than cherry-picking random verses so that we can better apply God’s Word to our lives.
   

3. Dig into a specific word. Word study is just what it sounds like: selecting a particular word in Scripture and learning everything you can about it and where it’s used in Scripture. The first step is selecting a word or phrase to study, such as “the kingdom of God” in the Gospels or “covenant” in the Old Testament. Next, you’ll want to find the original Hebrew or Greek word and then use a concordance or any cross references listed in your study Bible to locate other instances throughout God’s Word. As you read these instances, note what each new passage teaches you about the word or concept, being mindful of the variety of meanings or ways the word could be used. As you gain deeper understanding through your study, be sure to consult trusted commentaries and resources which can provide “guardrails” as you interpret the Scripture.
   

4. Pursue a theme. For many of us, there have likely been times in our lives when it’s beneficial to focus on a particular theme or idea in our Bible study or simply want to know more about what the Bible has to say about a particular topic. Think about a topical study as the answer to that question: What does the Bible say about _____________? Maybe you want to explore the concept of anger or humility or perhaps you want to dig into more theological topics such as sanctification or salvation. Once you’ve settled on a topic and defined what it means, the process is fairly similar to a word study. Use resources to create a list of passages that speak about this topic (a concordance can be helpful in this area). Read the passages, noting what each has to say about the topic you’re studying, including warnings, advice, context, etc. Once you’ve read the passages and gained a deeper understanding of the topic, organize your notes so that you can start to see the bigger picture of what the whole of Scripture has to say about the topic. Finally, when you’ve gathered all of this information, ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern how God wants to apply these truths to your life.

Studying Scripture is deeply beneficial in our lives, “useful in teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” as Paul wrote in his second letter to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:16). Even when we recognize the value of Scripture, we can struggle with how to stay fully engaged and present when we sit down to study it. We hope these tips and tools will help you focus your mind and heart as you engage with God’s Word, knowing his word never returns void (Isa. 55:11).