6 Ways to Spend More Time in Scripture This Year
Share
After taking a spiritual disciplines and formation graduate class, I was convicted about the need to read the Bible more and to spend more time with God in general. How often had I carved out a day to spend an extended amount of time with the Lord, enjoying His presence? Did I even have a plan for Scripture engagement?
At that time, my practice was haphazard. I decided I needed, as my professor suggested, a Bible engagement plan because, as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. A closer study of God’s Word was not going to happen sporadically. Thus, I took steps to research reading plans, found the one that suited what I needed for spiritual growth, printed the plan, and started working through a three-year sequence to read the Bible with greater understanding and growth.
We all can benefit from thinking carefully about our spiritual life and being intentional about the habits we establish. This new year, we can––like my younger self––find ways to spend more time with the Lord in Scripture. The following six ideas provide a place to begin as we intentionally carve out space and time to invest in our relationship with the Savior.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jacob Wackerhausen
1. Use a Bible Reading Plan
Sometimes what we need is guidance to accomplish a goal. That is when having a plan is helpful, because it shows us where we are and how we can move forward. A Bible reading plan provides us with such guidance because it does the challenging work of mapping out our Scripture engagement for us. It can also be highly customizable.
“The Bible in a year” plans remain popular, especially for those who made a resolution to spend more time in Scripture in the new year. But these are not the only ones available and, for many believers, rushing through all sixty-six books is not always suitable for a season of life or spiritual growth. Other reading plans exist that take a slower pace or bring the believer into the wider story of Scripture through chronological plans or ones that place Old Testament reading alongside New Testament passages.
Study Bibles and guides also often include a plan for engaging with Scripture, typically with an established theme. If, for instance, a student wanted to dig deeper into the prophecies about Jesus, a Bible study on this theme would have them delve into Old Testament passages to see how they connect with the coming, ministry, and Kingship of Christ.
Don’t know where to start? Bible Study Tools has a list of reading plans to choose from, including audio options so that you can listen on the go, such as while cooking dinner or driving to work.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Carolyn V
2. Join a Bible Study Group or Form Your Own
Having people who keep us accountable makes us more likely to accomplish goals. Hence, experts often suggest including a friend or family member as an accountability partner when establishing a new habit. The same is true of Bible study. We need the community of other believers to not only walk alongside us in the Christian life, but to encourage us to engage in spiritually healthy practices – like Bible reading. As iron sharpens iron, we need the edifying presence of others in our discipleship journey (Proverbs 27:17).
Most churches already offer Bible study groups with options for different ages and stages of life. These groups provide a structured environment for spending time in Scripture and community support. Often, the input of others can open discussions and lead to a greater appreciation for the beauty of God’s Word.
For small or rural churches, though, the resources and variety of people may be limited. A study group may only meet on certain days or at times when other members are at work. Such a situation is not the fault of the church. However, individual members can lend a hand in remedying the problem by launching their own Bible study groups, which can, in turn, bless the lives of others who may also be seeking communal engagement of Scripture.
Regardless of what the group looks like, the important thing is to spend time studying God’s Word together to enrich the spiritual lives of all involved.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Popov
3. Consider Trying a Different Translation or Format
We all have our favorite Bible translation. Some of us might prefer the NIV while our friends regularly use the ESV or family members hold strongly to the KJV or NKJV. Having a favorite version is normal and can help with memorizing portions of Scripture.
However, if we are struggling to spend time in Scripture, then changing our approach can provide variety and a renewed interest in studying the Bible. Instead of using only one translation, we can try a different version that enables us to read passages with fresh insight. If we are strongly familiar with the wording of the NIV when reading Isaiah 25:9, then engaging with the NASB, for example, could help us appreciate the message anew: “And it will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’”
Utilizing a different format when engaging with the Bible can also inspire us to spend more time listening to our Lord. If we regularly read from a physical Bible, we could try listening to an audio version. Hearing the words of Scripture is especially impactful for spiritual growth and draws on the ancient practice of the faithful in the Bible who listened as the Word was spoken to them (see Joshua 8:34-35; 2 Chronicles 17:9; Nehemiah 8:8). Also, hearing Scripture read aloud naturally encourages more listening, and many books of the Bible take less than an hour to listen to in their entirety.
Varying your approach opens new opportunities for greater engagement with God’s Word.
Photo credit: Unsplash/timwildsmith
4. Include Scripture in Your Prayers
Many passages in the Bible are prayers: Prayers about suffering (Jeremiah 20:14-18). Prayers about rejoicing (Psalm 33:1). Prayers asking God hard questions (Habakkuk 1:13). That is the reason that the church has historically integrated passages from Scripture into their corporate prayers. We also find this practice in the writings of Christians like St. Augustine of Hippo, who wove verses and passages into his prayers to God.
Using the Bible when talking to God allows us to speak truth back to Him, affirming His good and perfect promises. We also soak in more of God’s Word by praying passages, allowing the words to form our thinking and attitude. Praying, thus, becomes a practice done in tandem with Bible reading.
A helpful place to start is the Psalms, which naturally leads to conversations with the Lord. As we read and listen to the prayers of individuals like David and Asaph, and even Moses (Psalm 90), we can in turn use their words when addressing God. With a careful and meditative approach to the passages as we pray, we increase our exposure to Scripture.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Ben White
5. Swap Scrolling for Scripture
A phone often seems like an extension of a person in the modern world. Individuals always have their small devices with them, whether in a pocket or a purse. And in moments of waiting or free time, the phone often preoccupies the eyes and mind. A person bent over a device using a finger to scroll is an image of our time.
But what if we took this modern habit and harnessed it for the purpose of spending more time with the Lord through His Word? Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media or a news feed, we could make the decision to read a chapter from the Bible on our phones. Many Bible apps exist that allow us to read or listen to verses. Whenever we feel tempted to check our phone for notifications, we can let the urge propel us to click on a Scripture app and spend time reorienting ourselves to the truth.
If we started making this a habit, then we would find a greater amount of time to meditate on the Bible. Too many of us waste time in the day by getting lost in rabbit holes of content that drain us when we could use these opportunities to receive the nourishing bread of God’s Word (Matthew 4:4).
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/AndreyPopov
6. Try Something Creative
All the discussion in this article of study, content, apps, and reading could make some of us inwardly cringe. Why associate Scripture engagement with scholarly and (in the opinion of many) boring concepts? We want inspiration and the challenge to grow in our spiritual walk, not to spend time in studious pursuits that lead only to greater head knowledge with little effect on heart and hands.
The Bible is unique in that not only is it a book that conveys vital information to us about who God is, who we are, and how to be saved, but it is a beautiful story filled with creativity and practical truth. We are not only meant to ingest facts but to engage with a greater story that influences every part of our lives. That is why our Lord ensured that the Bible includes a diversity of voices and a variety in writing styles: narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, epistle, etc. These are well-crafted books that influence how we live holistically as humans made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).
We can invest more time in Scripture and do so creatively. God, after all, invented creativity.
The options are endless: Bible journaling, creating art based on a theme verse, singing Scripture, hand-lettering a verse, or participating in activities that bring a verse or passage to life. When studying Jesus’ identity as the Good Shepherd, for example, an individual or group could visit a farm with sheep or watch a documentary about the work of shepherds. They could also create a drawing or painting based on John 10 or Psalm 23, meditating on the words while working.
Far from boring, the Bible is alive and transformative. As Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Photo credit: Unsplash/Tetiana SHYSHKINA
