Last week I wrote a post called 3 Simple Suggestions to Help You Start Reading Your Bible and my goal was to encourage people who feel the Bible is intimidating. I received great feedback on that post, but several people told me they had trouble finding time to read their Bible. I certainly understand that because I have felt that way too.
We are all busier than we should be, and finding time to read the Bible requires some creativity. So, here are some simple, straightforward suggestions on finding the time to read God’s word.
Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier
When most people tell me they don’t have time to read the Bible I say, “You can make time–just wake up earlier in the morning.” Even 15 minutes will give you time to read one or two chapters.
If you really can’t get up early then try putting your Bible right next to your coffee maker and read your Bible during the 6-8 minutes it takes your coffee to brew.
For some people, waking up is not the easiest thing to do. I understand that because I used to be one of those kinds of people. If getting up a little early is not your thing, try one of these other approaches.
Listen To The Bible
You might not have a lot of time to sit down and read, but you can probably find the time to listen. Fortunately, the Bible comes in a variety of listenable formats. This means that you can read scripture by listening to it. For example, try listening on your smartphone while you are:
- In the shower
Get one of those shower speakerthingys or just put your phone near the shower and turn it up - On your way to work
As long as you can plug your phone into your radio or connect through Bluetooth, this is a great way to listen to the Bible. Even on short trips, every moment counts. - Exercising
I don’t know if you exercise, but if you do this is a no-brainer. Listen while you run, do the elliptical, or when you’re at home during yoga or whatever. - Sitting at your desk
It depends on what kind of job you have, but if you have a job where you get to sit at a cubicle all day, just throw your headphones on and listen privately.
If you are thinking, “I don’t have the money to buy an expensive audio Bible.” Well, great news. You don’t have to. You can find them on Youtube for FREE. There are multiple podcasts featuring daily Bible readings, and if you do want to spend a little you can find many, many versions of the Bible on Audible.com, many of which are even dramatized or read by celebrities. The Bible Experience is my favorite. It’s a dramatized version that is set to music and performed by the likes of Forest Whitaker, Angela Basset, and Denzel Washington.
Read In The Bathroom
I know, some of you think this is gross. Well, get over it! It’s not unholy to read your Bible while you’re doing your business. Let’s face it, you’re probably already looking at your phone in there anyway. So instead of scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram feed, load up the ESV Bible app, YouVersion, or BlueLetterBible and dial into your daily reading.
According to a quick search I did on Google, the average bathroom visit for Americans is about 9 minutes. That’s almost 5 hours per month! Even if you’re a below average reader you’ll be able to read ALL of the gospels in less than a month. I actually did the math! (65,000 words in gospels / 225 wpm = 288 minutes of reading. That’s just under 5 hours to read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and of course John–while you’re in the John (pun intended).
Read While Waiting In Line
How much time do you spend waiting in lines? Whether you’re at Starbucks waiting on your “grande skinny latte extra hot no foam” or standing in the checkout line at Publix, technology makes it easy to pop open your phone and read a few paragraphs in the Bible.
I’ll admit, this isn’t the best way to read and meditate on God’s word—but it’s a start. For this kind of reading, I recommend sticking to the Psalms or Proverbs. Each Psalm is like reading the lyrics of a song and the Proverbs are very practical verse by verse.
These stolen moments do add up and before you know it, you will have read all of the Psalms or Proverbs.
So, what do you think? Are you ready to get this new year started right? I encourage you, no—I challenge you to find some time to read your Bible.
“No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Deuteronomy 30:14
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