How to Read the Bible Consistently (Even When Life Gets Busy)
- jennytheissignutri
- Jan 30
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 19
Have you ever tried to read the Bible consistently… only to feel frustrated when life got in the way? You’re not alone. For most of my life, I struggled to open my Bible every day. Even after I built a routine over the last few years, some days I still have to push through. Other days, I don’t manage as much time in the Word as I hope.
But here’s what I’ve learned: consistency isn’t about perfection. It’s about returning to Christ over and over, trusting His grace to guide you. A missed day doesn’t erase your progress—it’s just another opportunity to grow closer to Him.
I’ve tried many ways to make Bible reading “stick.” I remember sitting on the grass by the Shoalhaven River during youth camp, Bible in hand, sun shining, ready to read through Matthew 1. For a week, spending time with the Lord seemed easy.
But once I got home, that retreat feeling dissolved almost immediately. I got lost in the long names of Jesus’ genealogy and drifted into daydreams. That moment didn’t mark the start of a consistent habit—but God’s timing was perfect. Over time, through small, daily steps, I developed a rhythm that has lasted since January 2018.
We know it's important to spend time in the Word, but we often struggle. We wake up early with the best of intentions but then the kids are up, the morning chaos begins and soon we rush out the door before we have even opened our Bibles.
And then the guilt sets in. And one day turns into two, which turns into a week and soon our bible is sitting on our shelf collecting dust.
Are you ready to dust off your bible and spend time with the Lord today? today I want to share eight lessons I have learned that will help you build your habit today.
Consistency Matters More Than Intensity
Maybe you think, “Two minutes is not enough.” But trust me — God would rather have two minutes with you than no minutes at all. When we let the idea of “not enough time” stop us, we can drift into distance from God.
Imagine running into a dear friend you haven't seen in months, and she apologises for not calling because she felt a two-minute call wasn't enough time. Would you not rather have that short call than no contact at all?
try this: read the verse of the day while your morning coffee brews
Fear and Guilt Are Weak Motivators for Spiritual Growth
For many years, I was driven to read the Bible because that’s what a Christian was “supposed” to do. I felt ashamed that I rarely opened my Bible outside church. Fear and guilt never sustained the habit.
I had to learn that God wanted time with me because He loved me. He is not angry that I missed yesterday — He is joyful every time I come back. Fear may get us started, but grace and love keep us going.
Know Why You’re Reading the Bible
When we know why we are doing something, success becomes easier. The reason itself is not as important as having one. God can work through whatever reason you bring.
My reason was my children. I grew up in a Christian household, and we spent a lot of time as a family at church and bible study: But I rarely saw my parents reading their Bibles. This is likely one of the reasons I struggled for many years to establish the habit, because I hadn't seen the example set before me. This was a gift I wanted to give my daughter (my son hadn't been born at that stage): I wanted her to see what it meant to spend time with Jesus each day.
Give Yourself Grace on the Hard Days
Some days will feel dry. Other days, life will be chaotic. Do not let guilt keep you away from the Father. When you find yourself "falling off the wagon", offer a simple prayer of repentance and open your bible and spend time with Him again. Do not allow guilt or fear to cause you to stay away from the Father.
There Is No Perfect Bible-Reading System
The first time I marked my bible, I wondered whether it was okay to mark the Word. This was when I was in my early 20's, and since then, I have learned that marking the bible is a way to deeply engage in the Word. I've tried out various systems and found there is no perfect system. A free system of marking and making notes that grows as I grow is the best system I have found. It may not look Instagram-worthy but it gives me the freedom I need to engage in a way that changes my heart and grows me as a Christian.
Mistakes Are Part of Spiritual Growth
You will look back on notes and markings in a few years and likely cringe a little, realising how little you understood or the mistakes you made when reading the Word.
I have come across quite a few of these notes in the last few weeks. It would be tempting to buy a new Bible and write out the "correct" notes in that Bible, then archive the current one. Instead, I choose to look at these notes and markings as signs of growth. I make corrections, but I avoid removing the original note. These notes are now a sign of my growth over the last few years.
Do not be ashamed of past mistakes because they are signs of growth as a believer.
Don’t Skip the Notes — Context Deepens Understanding
context is critical when reading the Word. Reading outside of context can result in misunderstandings and confusion. The good thing is, we have so much access to information now that we have no excuse! Take full use of the footnotes in your bible. The Levitical Law may feel very dry while reading through it, but when you look back at it by reading footnotes in Matthew, it helps us to see just what a controversial person Jesus was. He spent time with sinners, touched (and healed) the unclean. He spoke out against the hypocrisy developed from hyperfixation on legalism. This deeper level of understanding comes from reading the passage in context.
Accountability Helps Consistency Stick
we often view accountability negatively, fearing judgment from others, but having an accountability partner encourages us to keep going when things get hard. This person may be a spouse, a family member, someone in your bible study or a friend. It doesn't need to be someone who has it all together with their bible study habits, but it should be someone with whom you can be honest. I encourage you to check in with your accountability partner regularly, especially as you are getting started. As you become more established in your habit, you may not feel the need to check in as often. Even now, I still check in regularly with my accountability partner (my mum) about what I am reading.
Final thoughts
As believers, we all want to spend time in the Word regularly but we often struggle to establish (or maintain the habit). We worry that God (or others) is judging us when we fail to spend time in the Word. We are overwhelmed, confused or are ashamed of making mistakes when trying to understand the Word. We read things out of context and apply them in the wrong way and judge ourselves hashly when we fall into spiritual laziness. We are not honest with our reasons why we want to spend time in the Word or we worry that our reason isnt good enough. But the truth is, God wants you to spend time in the Word because He loves you. He is ready, waiting for you to come to spend time with him today. Wont you spend time with the Saviour this morning?
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