Tips to Start Reading the Bible

It’s the first month of a new year, and maybe one of your goals for 2023 is to read the Bible more. Reading the Bible consistently helps you to become more familiar with God’s character, allows you to experience the Bible as a whole rather than bits and pieces and teaches you to view Scripture in context.

But making reading Scripture a consistent habit in your life takes a bit of effort. Here are some ideas for ways to start folding time in the Word into your life this year.

1. Carve out time during your morning or evening routines. We all have routines for starting or ending our days, even if we’d never call them that. Maybe when you’re sitting with that cup of coffee in the morning before the house wakes up, you could also spend a few minutes reading the Bible. Enjoy an evening cup of tea? Enjoy it with a few verses. Have young kids and a nighttime routine that includes a story? Consider also adding a short reading from the Bible each night.
   

2. Start small. There’s a lot to be said for reading through the entire Bible. But if you’re just building the practice of reading Scripture each day into your life, it can also be incredibly intimidating. So start with a specific book (we’d suggest one of the Gospels) and set a time limit. Even if it’s just five minutes, those are five minutes you spent focusing on God’s Word!
   

3. Listen up! Spending time in Scripture doesn’t only mean reading it. For some of us, listening to Scripture may be an easier way to engage with God’s Word and actually comprehend it. Maybe you have to commute to the office a few days a week—why not listen to Scripture? Or there’s a daily task you do, such as folding laundry or putting away dishes, when your hands are busy but your brain is not. Maybe adding in an audio Scripture reading plan or simply using the audio options of your favorite Bible app at those times would help you reach your goal.
   

4. Pick a plan. Maybe you want to read through the Gospels or Paul’s letters. Maybe you’re focused on reading the Old or New Testament. Maybe you are striving to read through the entire Bible in a year. Whatever your goal, pick a plan and stick to it. There will be days when you don’t make much progress—maybe you overslept, the kids were sick or you only had time to really read and focus on a few verses. That’s fine. Just come back to the plan the next day and keep moving forward, even if your progress is a little slower than you’d planned!
   

5. Tell someone about your goal. There really is something powerful about making your goal real by telling someone else about it. Maybe you tell your best friend, spouse or a mentor about your desire to build a habit of reading Scripture on a regular basis into your life. Ask that person to check in with you so you have built-in encouragement to keep going, share what you’re learning and celebrate the joy of getting to know God better through His Word.

What has helped you make reading Scripture a consistent habit in your life? Share your insight in the comments or on Facebook or Instagram!