How To Stay Focused & Engaged When Reading The Bible
I’ve asked my friends on Instagram what their biggest struggle was when it comes to studying the Bible, and the #1 response I received was that they just couldn’t focus!
They want to study your Bible. They want to know the truth. They know how important it is, and they even woke up bright and early to do it.
But then they sit there, staring at your Bible, while their mind is going 90 to nothing, thinking about everything that you need to do.
The dishes that need to be done…
The homework that needs to be turned in…
The boyfriend who needs to be texted…
The cat that needs to be petted…
SQUIRREL!
And all of a sudden it’s time to leave, and you can’t remember a word you read.
Ever been there?
You feel guilty for not being able to focus, you feel like a failure for being sucktacular at the whole quiet time thing, and you feel bleh because you didn’t really connect with your Father.
#BeenThereDoneThat.
I get it! I’ve totally been there, and though I’m by no means perfect at the QT thing, I have picked up some tips + tricks along the way
Make it exciting for you.
What? Bible study exciting? No way!
Yes way. And not just for the Goodie-Two-Shoes-Cookie-Cutter-Christian-Girl, either.
God invented joy, and He wants you to enjoy His Word and enjoy Him.
So find ways to do that!
Do you like to draw or paint? Try bible journaling!
Do you like to sing? Make up songs about what you learned!
Do you like nature? Go study in the park!
Do you like coffee? Tote your Bible to the nearest coffee shop!
Or maybe set up a cozy place with pillows and blankets, and designate it as your QT area. Or maybe even start your QT with a Christian music dance party.
Seriously, the options are endless, and there is no One-Size-Fits-All when it comes to QT.
Take inventory of who you are, what you like to do, and how you best learn, and find ways to implement that into your QT.
Ask God to help you focus, and surrender all of the distractions to Him.
‼️THIS ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT‼️
I do this before I start my quiet time, and I say out loud, “Lord, I surrender [this] and [this] to you. Help me focus on you because this is your time.”
Telling God straight-up that you can’t focus, choosing to follow Him anyway and try, surrendering the distractions to Him, and asking for His help is a surefire way to see serious change in your QT time.
And pretty much every other area of your life because:
heartfelt confession + choosing to obey Christ anyway + surrender + asking for His help = Big Time Miracles (Click To Tweet)
Have a piece of paper nearby to write down all of your to-dos.
I’m a bit OCD when it comes to getting stuff done. When there’s something that I have to do, I have to either get it done right then or write it down so that I don’t forget. If I don’t do either of those things, I literally will not be able to stop thinking about the task. Ever.
It’s both a blessing and a curse.
So I’ve found that writing down my to-dos and ideas on a piece of paper quickly and then returning back to my study really helps me. Plus, a lot of the “distractions” that come into my head when I’m having my quiet time turn out to be nudges from the Holy Spirit, so I write them down so that I can act on them later!
Take notes as you read.
This one is huge.
I like to draw, highlight, write, box, circle, link ideas, and take notes as I study my Bible, and I cannot recommend doing this enough because it makes the Word COME ALIVE. And, as a result, I focus on it 100x more.
The more active you are in the Word, the more active your mind will be on the Word. (Click To Tweet)
Read and pray out loud.
There’s something powerful about actually hearing the Word, and if you’re an auditory learner, this may help.
P.S. DID YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE AN ECOURSE THAT TEACHES YOU STEP-BY-STEP HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE IN DEPTH AND MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU IN A FUN AND EXCITING WAY, ACCORDING TO YOUR PERSONALITY AND SCHEDULE? TIS TRUE. CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Remove the distractions.
If you find yourself reaching for your phone, keep it out of reach. Leave it in another room. If your cat is begging for your attention and you can’t resist kitty cuddles, as hard as it is, get away from the cat (at least for a little while because kitty cuddles are the best). If your family is making too much noise in the house, have your QT in your car.
Put some headphones in and listen to worship music.
This takes out the noises around you and helps you focus on what really matters. I used to do this all the time before I started waking up in the quiet mornings, and it really blocked out all of the outside noise.
And that’s that.
My biggest piece of advice: Tell God how much you want more of Him, commit to getting in the Word, and ask for help.
That’s an act of faith, and I promise that He will honor it.