Wanna Know How to Read the Bible Without Getting Bored?

I love to read scripture (or is it the idea of reading scripture?), but I often find myself getting distracted and sometimes even bored. My mind feels pulled in every other direction. What’s going on on social media feels more interesting. Plus, there’s the meal planning and budgeting that still need to get done. The hardest thing, though, is knowing where to even start. Genesis? Revelation? Or somewhere in the middle? I’ve even tried opening up the Bible and reading whatever my finger lands on. Sometimes it would speak to me, but other times I’d be searching for something else. Here’s how I’m currently learning how to read the Bible without getting bored.

Start with the daily readings.

This is a great way to start when you’re still figuring out how to read the Bible without getting bored. If you go to the USCCB website, it has the daily readings all ready for you to read. If you’re someone who deals with decision fatigue, this can be a game changer!

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Don’t just read through it quickly.

Make it a point to read each passage slowly. Reading out loud quietly helps with this. As you read, is there a verse or passage that stands out to you? You may need to read back over the passage a second time before moving on. If you find something that sticks out to you, take a few moments to meditate on what the Holy Spirit is saying. You can even take the next step and journal about the passage that stands out to you.

Find a reflection video or article.

On the USCCB website, most of the daily readings also have a reflection video listed at the top. This is really great to listen to when you still find yourself struggling to gain any insight from the readings themselves. (Some days are just like that). Close your eyes, listen in, and be open to how Our Lord may be speaking to you. If there isn’t a video available, a quick Google search should bring up some sort of reflection on at least the Gospel for the day.

Go deeper with Lectio Divina or a Bible study

When you’re trying to figure out how to read the Bible without getting bored, many times some kind of guided study helps. Guided study can help to redirect and focus the mind on what is important in a way that pertains uniquely to you.

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Lectio Divina is a beautiful way to go deeper.

While choosing a verse or passage on your own may leave you back at square one, a Lectio Divina journal can really help guide your focus. If you’re not familiar with the term Lectio Divina, it means “Divine Reading” and is an ancient and beautiful way of praying with scripture. You take a passage from scripture and start by reading it, then meditating on it, then contemplating it, and finally praying with it. You can read a more in-depth description of what that looks like here.

A more familiar way to dive into scripture is to work through a Bible study.

The beautiful thing about a Bible study is that it can be worked on alone or in community with others. Plus, there are so many types of Bible studies to choose from. Some do a deep dive into a specific Gospel, like this one from Blessed is She (affiliate link). Others seek to draw out certain virtues or character traits through the study of a specific book of the Bible, like these ones from Walking with Purpose.

Not sure how to make time for God in your busy life? Learn how in The Intentional Day Blueprint!

Understand how to read the Bible without getting bored by seeing Scripture as part of a bigger conversation with Our Lord.

Scripture was written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Because of that, it is God’s living and breathing word. Think about that for a moment. For some of us, a Bible is a very commonplace item in our home, yet it is the very breath of God. He is living and among us, and He just wants to have a relationship with you. How could that reawaken us toward a deeper relationship with Our Lord through the study of scripture?

We can ask, “What is God trying to say to me?”

When we see scripture as God’s living word, it becomes more than just words on a page. It becomes the start of a conversation. Or at least the potential for one. While not every line of scripture is going to resonate, we can and should take a moment to slow down and ponder what He may be saying to us in the here and now.

It isn’t a conversation if there is no response.

As you think and ponder what God might be saying to you, don’t forget to respond back to Him. It might be a question or an insight that enters your mind. Other times you may have nothing. “I don’t know what you’re trying to say to me right now” is a perfectly acceptable response — especially when it’s followed up with, “show me, Lord.”

Don’t be afraid to sit in the silence – this is where He likes to speak.

Some of my favorite Bible verses are where it talks about Mary “pondering these things in her heart.” It gives me pause and offers a reminder that we may need to sit with God’s word for a bit before moving on — even, and maybe especially, when we’re not sure if He’s even speaking to us. The biggest obstacle I find to sitting with a verse or passage, though, is the ability of my mind to get distracted. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s the right response, but I just try to bring those distractions back to Him. “I’m really trying to focus here, Lord, but this keeps entering my mind. What do you have to say about it?” After a few minutes, move on, but don’t be afraid to try.

Discover the 5 top priorities of a Christian mom and how this applies to your prayer life in my free guide: A Mom’s Guide to a More Organized Day.

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Are you starting to feel that it’s possible to learn how to read the Bible without getting bored?

I hope that these tips give you hope as you continue on in your relationship with Our Lord. That’s the most important piece — forming a relationship with Him. Ask Him for help. And please know that you are not alone in this struggle. Satan wants to keep our minds distracted. That’s why it’s all the more important to keep turning to the Lord to strengthen us in scripture, prayer, and the sacraments.

As you get more intentional with your prayer life, you’re going to start wanting to get more intentional with the rest of your day as well. Check out The Intentional Day Blueprint to do just that!

Learn how the 5 Priorities of a Christian mom can help you in your daily decisions in my free guide: A Mom’s Guide to a More Organized Day.