Bible Study For Beginners

How to Increase Desire to

Read Your Bible

Are you struggling to read your bible consistently? Let’s be honest, the bible can be intimidating and overwhelming, especially for a new believer. Right after I rededicated my life to the Lord in March of 2024, I purchased my very first bible. I found a beautiful pink bible on Amazon. I'm a sucker for anything pink, so I had to have it, hahaha. Anyway, I purchased all the tools such as highlighters, cute pens, sticky notes, journals, and bible tabs to inspire me to read. I was beyond excited to dive in, but quickly became discouraged shortly after attempting to read. I thought to myself, “ Lord, what?” I didn’t have the slightest clue of what I’d read, and so my bible just sat there on the nightstand collecting dust for about a month. 

At that time, I had recently come out of the new age and was desperate to develop a relationship with the Lord, but I began to feel discouraged. I grew up in the Church, but I only knew God through the lens of others (pastors, family, friends, and society). The danger of depending on others as a way to get to know God can leave us with a very distorted view of who He truly is. Which is partly why I left the faith all those years ago. For many years, I was so far out of His presence that once I got a taste of His goodness, I craved more, but felt lost on where to start. I knew I needed to come up with a game plan and give reading my bible another go. I set aside time, grabbed my cup of coffee, prayed, and opened my bible. Was I confused? Absolutely! But I stayed the course, and now my bible study time is drastically different.

Today, it's my favorite morning delight. It has been the key ingredient to experiencing a deeper connection with the Lord. I would love to share with you what I found to be helpful as a new believer in cultivating a relationship with Him.

No matter where you are on your journey as a believer, whether you are new to the faith or seasoned in your walk with the Lord, I hope you find the following tips helpful and encouraging!

HOW TO START READING THE BIBLE 

BE INTENTIONAL  

Reading the Bible should be non-negotiable for a believer. We should desire an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, and we can only develop that by spending time in His presence. Reading the Bible reveals the mind, heart, and character of God, so making it a priority is a must. It’s essential that we treat bible study time as a purposeful conversation with God, as opposed to just mindlessly reading through. 

START ANYWHERE

Figuring out where to start can seem like a daunting task. You may be pondering, “Should I start in Genesis, or is there a particular book I should read first?” I want to encourage you to take the pressure off and start anywhere. I started in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which I think is a great place to start for new believers because you get a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and why we need Him. The gospels are the primary accounts of Jesus’s ministry.

Although I started in the gospels, there were many days the Holy Spirit was leading me on what to read, and I surrendered and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me on where to go. I'd suggest praying for guidance before you start, but girl, just open your bible!

5 HELPFUL TIPS TO CREATE A ROUTINE

1. CHOOSE A TIME

Once you put it on your calendar, it's a date! Choose a time and create a space for just you and the Lord to spend quality time with one another. It can be any space. I meet the Lord every morning before the household wakes at my kitchen table. My prayer is that one day I’ll have a more intimate space for us, but for now, the kitchen it is. What’s cool is that I know He's just as excited to meet with me because many days He wakes me up before my alarm goes off. Seriously, how cool is that? The creator of the Universe is excited to spend time with little ol’ me. Acts 10:34 tells us that “God is no respecter of persons” so sis he is equally as excited to spend time with you. Will you commit to making time for Him?

Having a routine and being disciplined are key to being consistent. Today, bible study is a part of my daily routine. I love starting my mornings reading the Word because it sets the tone for my day. I feel equipped to take on any challenge I may face that day. 

2. OPEN WITH PRAYER

Opening with prayer sets the tone and allows you to invite the Holy Spirit into the experience. We should pray that the Lord illuminates the text and gives us understanding. The Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us, gives us wisdom, understanding, clarity, and revelation. I'd also suggest you ask God to increase your desire to read because I really struggled initially with wanting to do so. Honestly, I still have days that I’d rather sleep in, I’m not in the mood, I don’t feel His presence, or whatever is getting in the way that day. Do I decide to go without reading? No, I pray and press forward even if all I read is a verse of a small portion of the chapter I'm reading. I believe making an effort, no matter how small, is better than no effort at all.

3. ASK QUESTIONS

When we don’t understand the context, we can unfortunately set ourselves up to miss the point, the lesson, or the revelations of the passage. Don’t feel discouraged because we have the Holy Spirit, who will teach us and reveal mysteries to us when we ask. Asking good questions is the best way to learn. While studying your bible, you can ask questions like “What does this passage reveal about God’s character?” or “How can I apply this teaching to my life?” I try my best to avoid making scripture about me. I desire to grow in my relationship with the Lord, and if I’m only looking for myself, I can miss out on the opportunity of learning more about Him.

4. CHOOSE A BIBLE STUDY METHOD

There are several different bible study methods, but I have only used one. The SOAP method is an effective approach built on four practices. 

• Scripture: Write out 1-2 specific verses of the passage you're reading.

• Observation: What is your overall takeaway from the text? Ask questions for deeper insights (who, what, where, when, how).

• Application: How can you apply it to your day-to-day life?

• Prayer: Take a moment to thank God and ask that He give you a deeper understanding of what you just read, as well as strengthen you in applying it.

Now that I’m sort of getting the hang of things, I rarely use the SOAP method, but it helped in the beginning. (If you haven't already, head over to the cozy corner and grab your free download today!)

5. RESEARCH

Many times after reading, I need to do some additional research to understand the passage in full context. Oftentimes, without knowing who the author was writing to, location, customs during that time frame, among other things, it’s difficult to fully comprehend the message the author was trying to convey. I encourage you to watch sermons and read additional information to assist in deepening your understanding. 

I hope that you’ll leave here feeling motivated and inspired to read the word of God. You got this, my sister in Christ. I’m rooting for you.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the person reading this. I ask that you increase their desire to get to know you through your Word. Give them the wisdom to understand your teachings and continue to open their minds and hearts to receive your message. May you transform them into the woman of God you created them to be. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.