I KNOW I just posted about creating habits for studying the Bible, and I KNOW that all those habits may not be applicable to your season. I totally get that—there were seasons where I legitimately could not sit down for more than 15 minutes and focus on anything else except trying to “shut my brain off.”
Sometimes we’re in a season where sitting down to read for 20 minutes just isn’t possible. We’re driving in a car for hours, we’re in a job that has no flexibility, or our schedule revolves around someone else who’s dependent on us. At the end of the day, there’s guilt and shame and frustration that we didn’t do something we knew we should’ve done.
When those thoughts and attacks come, immediately shift your focus back to Him. Pray (just talk to God, like when you mentally hype yourself up) and bring your concerns, feelings, and heart before Him. He understands both our bodies and intentions better than we do.
In whatever season you’re in, tell God how you want to study and read this letter. You can pray something like this:
“Lord God,
You are great and You didn’t even need to give me this Bible, but You did. Because You know how much I need You in my life.
Forgive me for the times I didn’t make You a priority and the times I let distractions win.
Thank You for knowing I am weak and freely giving me Your strength.
I desire Your words and Your power.
Please help me focus, help me build habits, and bring people around me who will encourage and hold me accountable.”
With whatever habit or discipline you want to bring into your life, it’s not going to go well unless God and His Spirit is in it. Continue to add this desire of studying His Word to your prayers, and you’ll be amazed at how God listens and answers.
Like I mentioned before, sometimes my work or personal life wasn’t as flexible, so here are some creative ways that I integrated Scripture into my day when I wasn’t able to formally study:
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If most of your time is spent in the car, maybe the Dwell Bible app would best? This app has Bible passages and devotion read aloud, so you can hear the Word when you can’t necessarily read it.
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Do you listen to podcasts at the work, in the car, at the gym, or while cooking? Check out The Bible Recap or The Bible Project, and choose to listen to it first before another podcast.
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How many “Bible” accounts do you follow? And by this I mean How many accounts do you follow that post actual Scripture, not opinion or commentary? If you see a verse during your midday scroll, stay on it longer and think through it. Here are a few IG accounts that regularly post Scripture: @shereadstruth, @daily_bibleverses, @Biblegateway, and @declareglory.
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How do you normally spend your work breaks? Can you read passage during them? You’ll be surprised how “short” the time seems when you’re reading 3–5 verses.
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Where are the places and items you look at the most? The fridge, microwave? Bathroom mirror? Car dashboard? Computer monitor? Put a post it note on those locations with a verse. In a week (or two) rotate the post-it notes or write new verses on them.
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If you don’t have much flexibility in your schedule, could you spend 10 minutes before you wake up or go to sleep to read a passage on your phone?
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Do you keep a physical planner? Write a verse on Sunday or Monday, and pick a different verse for the next week.
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Starting a routine and habit is difficult, and it’ll be hard to remember to “look” at God’s Word, even when we’re so intentional about it! Please remember that you’re not in this alone, and a lot of Christians face both dry and plentiful seasons in this discipline.
However, I hope we can all agree that the Bible is more than a book—it’s a living sword that can help our minds fight attacks, give our spirit clarity in decisions, and refresh our soul when we need it most. Even if we can’t spend 15–30 minutes in the Word, we should to feed ourselves as much as we can when we can.
Do you have any other unique methods or strategies to put God’s Word in your mind during your busy day? Share them below! Iron sharpens iron.
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