If you consume any amount of Christian content on TikTok, YouTube, instagram, Pinterest, or any other social media platform, you’ve probably seen aesthetic ~bible time~ pictures or videos.
You know… the pretty bible with the color-coded highlights, the cute journal, the coffee (that’s never just black coffee, it’s always latte art?)
If you’re anything like me, you find yourself rolling your eyes when you see glamorized content like this, thinking, “There’s no way that’s realistic”.
Maybe you think, “Where do people find the time to read the bible?”
Or “I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to reading the bible.”
Whatever your thoughts on bible reading are, you’re not alone.
It’s a big book. And it can be really overwhelming to digest. But I also think that we as Christians have way over complicated bible reading. Reading the bible isn’t easy, but it can be simple.
I want to equip you with 3 practical things you can implement TODAY to simplify your bible reading.
1. Schedule It.
If you’re a busy college student, you are never going to “find time” to read your bible. And that’s probably only going to be more true from here on out. You’ll have a full-time job, or a spouse, or kids- something will always be fighting for your attention- so don’t wait around until you suddenly have time to read God’s word- make time.
“Don’t wait around until you suddenly have time to read God’s word- make time.”
Now, I never said these tips would be easy– but they’re simple. All it takes is a calendar and some discipline.👀 Schedule a time each day to open up the word.
I prefer reading my bible in the mornings to start my day with it, but I’ve talked with friends that enjoy reading it in the evenings or at night so they don’t feel rushed. Find a time of day that works for you. That’s not to say the most convenient time per say, but a time you find you can truly meditate on the word (see Psalm 1) and think about it throughout your day.
Now that you’ve chosen a time to read the word, where do you start? How do you read it?
2. Start Small, Go Slow.
Reading through the bible in a year sounds great (and is still a goal of mine), but meditating on God’s word daily is more of a priority for me. I would encourage you as a college student- focus more on building the habit of spiritual discipline than finishing a plan on time.
Bible reading plans are great, but I noticed that I grew in my devotion to the Lord when I stopped being legalistic about being on track with a plan and simply made it a habit to open my bible daily.
“I grew in my devotion to the Lord when I stopped being legalistic about being on track with a plan and simply made it a habit to open my bible daily.”
So start small- maybe 10 minutes and day- and go slow. Wouldn’t you rather leave that 10 minutes getting a lot out of one verse than feeling defeated because you didn’t read enough chapters to get through your reading plan on time?
I used to do topical studies (following a bible reading plan that takes you through different passages of scripture talking about a topic), but now I’m just reading through the bible chronologically for as long as it takes. I started in Genesis in 2021 and I’m now in 2nd Corinthians. It’s been slowwww, and it’s been soooo gooooood. Can’t recommend it enough.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with topical studies. It’s your heart behind finishing a plan in a given amount of time that matters. If a study like “3-day reading plan on friendship” piques your interest, read it! But don’t beat yourself up if it takes you 4 or 5 or 10 days to read through it, if it means really studying and applying the scripture.
If you’re new to reading the bible, I would recommend picking a gospel chapter (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and slowly reading through it. John is my personal favorite for an introduction to the life of Jesus. 🙂
One great resource to check out anytime you’re about to start reading a new book of the bible is The Bible Project. They have a YouTube video for every book of the bible that will give you lots of helpful context before you start reading!
So… what happens when you’ve made the time, you’re starting small and slow, and you come across something that makes no sense to you?
3. Use Commentaries and Resources.
I don’t know why I didn’t do this more in my early years of reading the bible. I HAD GOOGLE!🤪 I could’ve been looking up all my questions. Maybe I did but just got more confused😂.
With the right resources, you don’t have to be overwhelmed by big words or questions you have. LOOK IT UP! There are several resources out there.
- I already mentioned The Bible Project– that will give you a great framework for recapping the larger picture.
- Another great resource is GotQuestions.org. It’s basically google for the bible. I was reading about the judgment seat of Christ in 2nd Corinthians the other day and was confused, so I searched “judgment seat of Christ” on GotQuestions and there was a video on it that cleared things up for me!
- Google- I would recommend backing up whatever google says with another resource, but there are times you can find an answer about what a word means simply by googling it.
- Bible commentaries
What is a bible commentary?
A bible commentary is something that explains or interprets the bible. They can go verse by verse or passage by passage. There are commentaries on anything from one book of the bible to the entire bible. They are meant to be used in parallel with your bible reading, offering explanations and historical background as you go.
There are MANY commentaries out there, and maybe someday you’ll see a “my favorite bible commentaries” blog post from me haha, but for today, I use the Enduring Word Commentary. It’s a free, online bible commentary and it’s changed the game for my study!
As you come across questions, don’t just skip over it and keep reading for the sake of time. Take the time to look it up! Ask a friend or pastor about it! I’ve discovered the coolest things about God’s character simply by asking questions.
So there you have it! 3 ways to simplify your bible reading: schedule time to read your bible, start small and slow, and use resources such as bible commentaries.
I pray that as you get back into the word or continue reading the word, you’ll be refreshed by the simplicity of the gospel and discover more about God’s character. ❤️
LEAVE A COMMENT! 💬 What are some of your favorite bible study resources? What questions do you have about reading the bible?