We live in the information age and our lives have never been busier. As our days whirl by, we wonder how anything gets done. Our phones are constantly buzzing, notifying us of the latest email or news alert. With all the chaos in our lives, it’s hard to make time for Bible study.
This is a constant struggle for many Christians, myself included. We set out with the sincerest intentions to study God’s Word; but, before we know it, the day is over & we haven’t opened our Bible. If we squeeze it in we feel accomplished and wonder why we don’t do it more often.
It’s hard to make time for God. But, it doesn’t have to be. You can make Bible study a part of your daily routine. Continue reading and let me show you how to make it happen.
We Make Time for What’s Important
Before we tackle the how, we need to look at the why. If we’re honest with ourselves, we do not make time for Bible study, prayer, or any other spiritual activity because we don’t find it important enough.
If there is something we really want to do, we make time for it. We make time to hang out with our friends. Our kids’ activities are on the calendar every week. We don’t miss meals. Time is blocked out for that vacation you want to take. You get the idea. These are all priorities for us. Because they are high on our priority list, we make time for them.
For many of us, God doesn’t make the list. We say God and our faith are important, but our time and calendars prove otherwise.
We say God and our faith are important, but our time and calendars prove otherwise. Share on XIf we’re going to make time for Bible study, it means we have to adjust our priorities. For a while now, my health has been a priority. I used to make the excuse that I didn’t have time to workout or money to eat healthy. But, it was all a matter of perspective. That was how I viewed life until my doctor told me I needed to make some changes. Once my health became a priority, I willingly rearranged my schedule and made time for workouts. I found room in my budget for healthier eating. When I changed my priorities, my health improved. Even with this website, I have to make writing a daily priority if I want it to succeed. God and our faith require the same treatment.
Are you ready to make time for God?
How to Make Time
When it comes to making time for Bible study, there is no silver bullet. You must be willing to put in the work. That said, there are steps to making this a reality in your life. And you can follow them for anything you want to make a priority in life.
Make It a Priority
If you’re going to make time for Bible study, the first thing you have to do is make it a priority.
Take some time and list your life’s priorities. Order them by importance. Where is spiritual growth on that list? Are things above it that shouldn’t be? If so, decide today that your spiritual growth will be a priority. Once something is a high enough priority, moving forward is easy.
Make Bible study a priority. This is the first step.
If we’re going to make time for Bible study, it means we have to adjust our priorities. Share on XFigure Out Your Peak Times
After you make Bible study a priority, the next step is to look inward. Examine your habits & look for clues as to when you are at your best. Are you an early bird or a night owl? When do you do your best work? Are you mentally drained after a hard day’s work? Do you find your lunch times to be particularly productive?
When you ask yourself these questions you get an idea of where you should look to make time in your schedule. For me, I’m a morning person and that is also when I do my best work. Find your best hours of the day.
Survey Your Time
There is no one right way to make time for Bible study. Each of us has a different schedule and time commitments. So, the next step is to pull out your calendar and examine it with a fine-toothed comb.
What does your week look like? Do you see any patterns in how you spend your time? Do you find that you waste a lot of time on social media or watching television? Is time consistently unaccounted for? Are there pockets of time you can carve out for Bible study without any major sacrifices?
Give God your best time, not the leftovers. Share on XWith Bible study as a priority, the key is to find time in your schedule. How that looks depends a lot on your schedule and when you work best. If possible, find a time when you are at or near your peak. Your desire should be to give God your best times, not the leftovers.
Since I’m a morning person, I do my Bible study before I head to work. This means I’m up at 5 am, studying by 6 am, and out the door by 7 am.
Pick a Time & Be Consistent
After choosing a time, execute the plan. I recommend putting it in your calendar so you can visually see it as a time commitment each day, just like everything else. Then, be consistent and show up.
As a writer, writing is not easy for me. I easily find myself getting frustrating and wanting to give up. But, I find success when I show up, sit down, and put in the work. Even when I don’t have a single word to write, I sit in the chair with my writing app open. Eventually the words come because I made the commitment to show up. The same is true for Bible study. You will find success by showing up and putting in the work. Even if you’re not getting anything, by showing up you’re making room for God to speak through his Word.
If you miss a day, that’s fine. Pick up where you left off the next day. This isn’t about legalism, but consistency.
Following the steps is simple, making the decision not as much. In so far as you’re serious about making Bible study a priority, that is the level to which you will find time and have success.
In so far as you’re serious about making Bible study a priority, that is the level to which you will find time and have success. Share on XSome Tips
For some bonus tips on making time for Bible study, here is an excerpt from my book Raw Material:
As you approach Bible study, here are basic principles you should keep in mind about the how of the process:
- Do it Daily. The easiest way to make the Bible a part of your life is by making it a daily activity. Do it when you’re at your best so you can give it your all. You can’t expect to get much from the Bible if you’re tired and fighting sleep. Strive to do it at the same time daily so it becomes routine.
- Start Small. You need not start by studying for an hour or more every day; but, if you do, that’s great. Start with 15 minutes a day and work your way up to at least 30 minutes. It may seem hard to do at first and it’ll be difficult to find time. Just remember, 30 minutes is only 2% of a 24 hour day (seriously, it is).
- Have a Plan. One of the best ways to get the most out of your study time is to come with a plan. Start by reading a book of the Bible, like one of the gospels, or use one of the many reading plans available from Bible.com.
- Try a Catechism. Catechism is a big word, but it is more or less a summary of a particular doctrine. A good way to learn basics of the Bible and the essentials of the Christian faith is by studying them in a topical fashion. Catechisms are written in a question & answer format and offer supporting verses you can study and cross reference. A few I recommend are the New City Catechism, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Westminster Catechism, which can be found online for free.
- Don’t Give Up. Out of all the principles, this one is most important. There will be times when you want to give up, but push through it and keep at it. You’ll hit difficult passages and sometimes you may not understand what you just read, and that’s okay. Just keep at it and ask God to help you understand what you’re reading. Over time God will make it clear to you. When you hit those difficult spots, remember to make use of the tools available to you. And, inevitably, you may fall off the wagon and stop reading altogether for a season. Don’t get discouraged, just start again.
Once you have a plan, do it daily and start small. If you do, I’m confident you’ll have no problem making it a habit you’ll keep for life.
Will You Make Time?
What does your Bible study time look like? Are you consistent or consistently inconsistent? No matter where you are, take time this week and examine your schedule.
If you’re experiencing success, could you find a better time? If you’re struggling, find a time that works for you. Once you have a plan, show up and do the work. Finally, don’t be afraid to adjust your times of study with life’s changes.
If you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Leave a comment or shoot me an email. I want to help you succeed in your Bible study.
Weekly Study Prompts
This week spend some time in the book of Jude. It’s a short letter written by Jesus’ half-brother, coming in at only 25 verses.
Read and journal about what you’ve read.
- Monday – Read Jude 1-4
- Tuesday – Read Jude 5-7
- Wednesday – Read Jude 8-13
- Thursday – Read Jude 14-16
- Friday – Read Jude 17-23
- Saturday – Read Jude 24-25
- Sunday – Recap. Read all of Jude
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