7 Ways to Actually Enjoy Reading the Bible This Year

There are millions of books in existence, including books about the Bible, so why read the Bible itself? Simply put, it’s the gift of love that God gave to us so we would know who He is, His character, and His plan for eternity. In it, we get to know His Son, who offers us salvation from our sins and a perfect forever with Him. We are also blessed to learn about the Holy Spirit, our comforter and guide. 

In 66 books, we learn of the history of God’s relationship with His Creation, His law, poetry written to Him, and prophetic writings that demonstrate that God is sovereign. The Bible was “written” by God–given to humans to speak and write down and share with one another. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, we learn the Bible is accurate and “is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” It’s more than just knowing about God and what He wants for us, it’s about knowing Him. “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). 

As J.I. Packer wrote in his book Knowing God, “There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God's favor to them in life, through death and on forever.” What an indescribable benefit of reading His Word.

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While the Holy Spirit is perfectly capable and willing to help someone to read and enjoy the Bible on their own, one thing to consider first is whether to read it with someone else. I always get more out of reading the Bible when another person is reading the same passages and we discuss what we’ve read.

That person can be a spouse, a friend, another church member, or your entire church. My church has done whole-congregation studies, and it’s been very helpful to discuss in a small group what the rest of the church is studying, especially if the pastor preaches on portions of what we are reading together.   

When my daughter was little, I couldn’t believe how much I learned from reading through her Children’s Bible with her. It wasn’t a complete Bible, but the stories it pulled from the Bible brought some characters alive in ways that made it easier for me to study the full text. By the way, getting kids their own “Bible” that is written/illustrated in a style they can resonate with is a great way to get them to enjoy the Bible as they grow. Three that we used most were The Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids, The Jesus Storybook Bible, and The Biggest Bible Storybook.

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There are so many ways to read the Bible that you can choose what works for you. You can read from cover to cover a few pages a day. Or you can access many of the online Bible reading plans that offer different ways to read through the Bible. Maybe each day there is an Old Testament reading, a Psalm reading, and then a New Testament reading. Here are ten different reading plans you can start in the new year. 

You can also read the Bible chronologically (did you know that the Bible was not put together sequentially from the beginning of time through to the end?) If you would like to try this way of following the Bible, there are samples here.

Another idea is to focus on one book of the Bible at a time. If you like to take your time and slowly read through one book, asking the Holy Spirit to bring it alive to you, this is an exceptional option. 

Bible version matters as well. If you have little experience reading the Bible, I recommend the New Living Translation (NLT for short). According to its publisher, Tyndale House, the NLT is, “an authoritative Bible translation, rendered faithfully into today’s English from the ancient texts by 90 leading Bible scholars. The NLT’s living language breathes life into even the most difficult-to-understand Bible passages…”

If you are well-versed in different versions, choose the one you will enjoy reading most, or perhaps choose a different version than you are used to in order to hear God's Word in a fresh, new way.

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When I began to read the Bible in my twenties, I chose the New International Version because it was the version that was used in my church. My spiritual life grew exponentially when I purchased an NIV Study Bible. Suddenly, I didn’t have to read through passages I didn’t understand because it was referring to people, times, or places I didn’t know. The study Bible offered footnotes in every chapter that better explained those things the writers determined might confuse readers. It also gave me references to other places in the Bible to review to better understand what I was currently reading. So, if you can get a study Bible, I believe it will make reading Scripture much more enjoyable.

There are so many other resources that can be a great help as you seek to understand and enjoy the Bible. BibleStudyTools.com is an exceptional resource offering the following:

• An overview of the books of the Bible
• Audio Bible–if you prefer to listen than read, you can access several Bible versions
• Interlinear Bible–allows you to read the original Hebrew and Greek in which the Bible was written
• Commentaries–verse by verse explanations written by well-known theologians
• Dictionaries and Encyclopedias shine light on language, culture, geography and much more.
• Featured Bible stories 

 
And there is so much more on BibleStudyTools.com. Take time to scroll through the website to see how their tools can help you enjoy the Bible as a more informed reader. 

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A wonderful way to engage with God and His word is to read the portion of Scripture for the day, and then journal about it. What does it make you think of? What confuses you? What does it tell you about God’s character or Jesus’ mission, etc? This helps you not only to slow down and really concentrate on what you’re reading, but gives you a way to “discuss” it with God at this time in your life. This is also a good time to reference a study Bible, commentary, Bible dictionary, or other Bible study tool if you feel lost.  

Journals are great for prayer requests and answers to prayer. I would advise that rather than just writing notes, you write to God in conversation because it is His book that He is trying to help you understand. 

You can also purchase or create a journal with various writing “prompts.” These might include:

• What verse especially spoke to me today? Write about why and what that might mean in your life.
• Write about what you believe God is trying to teach you in this passage. 
• Is this passage prompting you to praise God or ask for His forgiveness for some recent or past sin? Share that in writing

 
One of the great things about a journal is you can review it in the future and see what God has done in your life since then. 

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My daughter had the privilege of dating a young man a few years ago who believed God called him to memorize large portions of Scripture, and dramatize that portion for churches around the Midwest. While I had written Scripture on cards and carried them with me to remind me of verses, I had never thought about memorizing large portions. At the time, he had already memorized the Book of James, could perform the battle of David and Goliath word-for-word, and much more.

There are so many benefits to Bible memorization. First, you can have a treasure trove of verses to comfort or challenge you when you need it most. You can show your children how important it is to know God’s word as you sprinkle verses into everyday conversation. And you can do the same when you are witnessing to someone.

I started memorizing the Book of Mark and found it challenging and enlightening. Because God’s word is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), every time I re-read a verse to try to memorize it, I learned something new through the Holy Spirit.

I can’t recommend memorization enough, echoing the Psalmist, who wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11). The more we rehearse God’s truth, the more we are aware of when we fall short and need to come back to God—all to enjoy Him more! 

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God’s word is a gift to us. He wants so much that we get to know the One who created us and offered us eternal life. If we are going to be with Him forever, don’t we want to know Him better than anyone? If so, make a commitment to your Bible reading! Rather than it being a chore, think of it as spending precious time with your Abba Father and best friend. So, revel in the time that you set aside each day to be with your Father and Friend.

Sometimes I’m taken away from Bible study for some reason, so I find it helpful to remind myself with an alarm on my phone if I have gotten to a certain point in the day and forgotten to spend quality time with the Lord. 

I do this because of the joy of learning more about God. However, there should be no guilt in Bible study. If you miss a day, you will likely long to get right back to it because you’ve come to love what you are learning. Don’t allow the enemy of your soul to make you feel guilty about falling away for a time, but also don’t allow him to convince you that you don’t need to read consistently. Do your best to stay faithful, and you’ll likely find that you enjoy it more than you expected!

Further Reading
10 Ways to Better Enjoy Reading the Bible
How Can I Love My Bible if I Don't Enjoy Reading It?
How to Read the Bible Every Day
The Beginner's Guide to Reading the Bible

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