Bible Study Tip #3

Of all the activities abounding in the world, none will do more to give you the life you’ve dreamed of, if you knew enough to dream of it, than personal one-on-one time of studying the Bible.

In-depth, personal Bible study changes you from the inside out as you come to understand the true character of God and His ridiculous grace and love revealed so powerfully through Jesus. 

Since high school, I wanted to look like Christ to the world, but it was only out of my time in personal, in-depth Bible study that I came to experience what Paul said: “For Christ’s love compels us,” (2 Corinthians 5:14a). Duty compelled me before. Now His love does.

Nothing anyone else has said about God or the Bible has changed me more or caused me to fall in love with Him and His Word more than really looking into what He said and how He said it, and what He did and what He didn’t do.

“When I discovered Your Words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear Your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.”
~ Jeremiah 15:16 NLT 

Any of us can have a devoted time of Bible study at a different time of day each day if we’re that committed to Bible study, but the reality is that it won’t happen.

Life will continually get in the way. But we can study the Bible faithfully every day if we accept this one thing about ourselves:

We are all creatures of habit.

As soon as we accept that fact, we can use it to our benefit by creating a habit of studying the Bible at the same time every day.

We stand a much greater chance of being consistent with our Bible study time if it naturally happens every day at the same time. (I shared my regular routine in my last post, Today’s Bible Study Tip – Creature Comforts.)

Because Bible study is part of my regular morning routine, I never have to remind myself to study the Bible. It’s the first thing I do every morning — after getting my husband and I a cup of coffee, that is.

It’s my habit. It’s just what I do every morning.

It’s not what I do every morning because I’m so amazingly spiritual. It’s because I chose to make it a habit.

At first it was work, but it then became habit. Because I desired a closer walk with God, and I surrounded myself with creature comforts early in the morning, it wasn’t a barely bearable chore — I enjoyed it. It didn’t become a habit, however, until I turned it into one by making the choice every day at the same time.  (For me that choice came when I set my alarm the night before, and again when it went off in the morning.)

You may already be convinced that you need to study the Bible at the same time each day, but I want to challenge you on something you may not yet be convinced you need to do.

You need to set your alarm and get up early every morning for your Bible study time. (Yes, I said morning. Yikes!)

Bible Study Tip #3 – Study the Bible at the same time every day.

I hear you when you say you hate mornings. Of course you do!

There’s only a few supernatural people who wake up alert and ready to run each morning. None of them live in my house. Not even the dog likes mornings.

Most of us slam off the alarm clock, feeling like someone glued our eyes shut and slipped a sleeping pill into our mouth during the night.

Waking up actually, physically hurts most mornings.

If you want to tell me you’re more alert in the evening so you’re going to have your Bible study time then, I wish you well, but I beg to differ. Only the most antisocial individuals can shut out the family and the numerous possibilities of interruptions in order to have a truly quality Bible study every single evening.

Interruption opportunities increase dramatically after traditional work hours begin and they continue until bedtime. At least that’s the way it is in our home.

I’ve often heard people say they’ll commit to studying the Bible every night when they go to bed.

Let me just say, if you’re married, please don’t! Your spouse may be feeling romantic, but you’re busy memorizing Leviticus. Bad idea.

If you’re single, are you really going to go to bed early enough every night to have a quality time of studying before you slip off to sleep? If so, you need to get connected to a church or community center because I’m thinking you have no friends.

Face it.

The only way you will consistently study the Bible every day is to pick the time of day when the distractions of the world and family are at their very least.

For most, that is morning. 

It may not be the most fun time to develop this habit, but I guarantee that once it’s established, it will literally change your life as God’s Word changes you more each day.

Let being a creature of habit work for you! Maybe even start tomorrow morning.

If you enjoyed this, you may enjoy my short devotion: “Your Word Sustains Me” which was published on ChristianDevotions.com. 

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