5 Radical Ideas For When You Don’t Want to Read the Bible
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There are times when I don’t feel like reading my Bible.
Yes, its true.
There are times when I sit down to my desk, and grab my Bible and suddenly remember 101 other things I need to do – and the urgency to do those things right now pulls at me.
Sometimes there are even times when those other things seem more exciting than reading the Bible.
I’m not afraid to admit that there are times when reading the Bible seems less exciting to me.
Is God offended when we find his Word less important or exciting than doing other things?
Yes, I believe He is.
I believe even more than being offended, He is jealous.
We were created to worship. All of mankind has an innate and instinctive desire to worship something or someone. It’s why there is such a preoccupation with pop-culture today.
Everyone worships something or someone.
And what we treasure most reveals what we worship.
When we find spending time in God’s Word and prayer less exciting than other things, we can be certain that our treasure lies in something other than God.
And He is jealous for our worship.
He is jealous for that treasure.
While I believe that it is normal for our earthly affections to rise and fall – that our emotions are sometimes engaged and other times less engaged, we must learn to tune out our emotions and exercise spiritual discipline so that in those times when we feel spiritually dry and dead, we continue doing those things that we know bring pleasure and glory to God.
While some may say that reading the Bible or praying when our hearts are not engaged is religiosity, I contend that it is only religiosity if we believe that by doing so we are somehow earning God’s favor.
But when we choose to exercise Christian discipline in reading our Bible and praying, even when our emotions are less engaged, out of love and devotion to Christ, we are not being religious, we are growing as disciples!
5 Radical Ideas For When You Don’t Want to Read the Bible
1. Read Your Bible Anyway
There is danger in listening too much to our emotions; the danger is that it keeps us in a state of immaturity.
If I only cleaned my house when I wanted to, we would live in a dump. But what I’ve found is when I get started cleaning, my “want to” seems to catch up with me.
About halfway through, I start to enjoy seeing dirty things cleaned, and I am glad to see my house neat and tidy again.
The same is with Bible reading.
On those mornings when I don’t feel like reading my Bible, I pick it up anyway. I turn to a familiar passage and read out of love and honor for God – whom I love and want to honor with my life.
And suddenly, a small word jumps out at me that suddenly gives this familiar passage a new meaning and I am filled with excitement and joy!
Now, it’s not always like this. Sometimes that excitement and joy doesn’t come right away. Sometimes it doesn’t come for weeks and months – because I’m in a winter season of my spiritual life.
In this post I wrote a few years ago for Worshipful Living, I share about how in these times we’re building up “snowbanks” that will later on become streams of living water in our lives.
2. Read Your Favorite Passage or Book
Sometimes we lose our desire to read the Bible because we’re bogged down in a book that is either over our head or just not speaking to our hearts at this time in our life.
Sometimes simply moving to a favorite passage or book of the Bible is enough to awaken a fresh desire for God’s Word.
I find that in these times moving to the Psalms or Pauline epistles helps me a lot.
3. Cry Out To God
It’s okay to admit to God that you’re struggling in your desire to read His Word.
After all, it’s not like God doesn’t know this already! He knows everything about you, and He knows your struggling right now.
Cry out to Him.
Let Him know.
Ask Him to awaken a new desire in your heart.
When we cry out to Him and admit our struggle, we’re also revealing that we still have a deep passion and desire for Him.
The very fact that we’re troubled by our lack of desire for God’s Word shows that we our passion for God hasn’t waned, because if it had we wouldn’t be troubled at all.
4. Find Accountability
Sometimes all we need is accountability.
Just like having an exercise partner can help us develop or reignite a new routine in getting up each morning early enough to exercise, having an quiet time accountability partner can help us develop or reignite a new routine in getting up early enough to spend time in God’s Word.
One great place to find a quiet time accountability partner is with Good Morning Girls.
Good Morning Girls has hundreds of small, private Facebook Groups all around the world that you can join and find daily accountability in reading and studying God’s Word
5. Find a New Study Method
Sometimes just switching things up a bit is enough to infuse new life and excitement in reading God’s Word each day.
Maybe give Bible journaling a try
Grab some colored pencils and try coloring passages in your Bible
Maybe doodle and underline key words in your Bible.
Here is a post I wrote a few years ago for Foundational about 6 methods you can use for studying the Bible.
Whatever you do, when you begin to feel your desire to read God’s Word each day lessen, don’t give in to the feeling.
Try one of these five ideas, and continue reading each day.
Because I know that when you do, the King of Kings will meet you right where you are!
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If I don’t feel like reading (usually the word “tired” comes to mind!) I try to go back to the Psalms and copy one or two into my journal, or I go back to a favorite story, or try singing worship songs. But copying verses or passages into a journal is great because it gets that “kinesthetic learner” action going and also helps me stay engaged and not fall asleep!
But, I don’t force myself to go super in depth if I’m not fully cognizant. I’m learning to value consistency over intensity. A little bit every day (which is a challenge still!) seems to have a better long term effect than a lot every once in awhile.