How to Improve Your Bible Reading in 7 Simple Ways

Reading your Bible is often likened to eating. Most people like eating but not everyone likes what’s put in front of them. Brocolli…..Brussel Sprouts….Eggs….., can you relate? And sometimes we struggle with reading the Word. But you want to improve your Bible reading experience don’t you?

Let’s be honest the genealogies in (1 Chronicles ch 1-9) can be hard going, the repetition of offerings of the leaders of the tribes of Israel (Numbers 7) testing, and the knotty questions of passages we cannot understand, can be hard to ‘swallow’. Is it sacrilegious to say these things? No! Just being realistic. (BTW there are some real nuggets of precious truth tucked away in these passages eg 1 Chr 4 vs 9-10) The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, it brings life, it is our only source of verifiable information. It is the lamp to our feet and light to our path. We know this is true but…….

…….how can we improve our Bible reading……

……..how can we keep our palate fresh (to continue the food analogy) and draw out every ounce of sustenance from this beloved 2000-year-old book? Here are 7 ways for you to read the Bible with fresh eyes or see in a new light the truths contained in it.

FIRST WAY ~ Be thoughtful

It may seem cyclical but Bible Study begins with reading Scripture thoughtfully. And Bible reading thoughtfully, needs study!

So what does this mean for us? It means paying attention to what you are reading, not just letting your eyes wander over the page. Superficial reading will give superficial results. To reap the benefits of reading, we need to think about each detail as we read.

For example in my reading recently I noticed parallel details in 2 very different Bible narratives – see if you can spot them. Compare Genesis41 vs 37-43 with Luke 15 vs 11-24. Thoughtful reading will reveal the answer!

SECOND WAY ~ Change things up

An old saying says that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ but I wouldn’t go as far to say this when reading a familiar Bible passage. However, it’s all too easy to come to a portion of Scripture and think that you’ve read it so many times you’ve gleaned all you can from it – I know, I’ve been there, done that! However, when you approach it from a different angle you will see details you hadn’t noticed before.

The genius of the Word of God is that it has staying power; it can stand up to repeated exposure.

Living by The Book by HG & WD Hendricks (p83)

The key is to change your approach, so why not try:

• Reading the Bible using different translations – whilst some versions may not make for accurate word studies, the variation can throw new light on your understanding.
• Instead of reading, why not listen to an audio recording? Different speakers can bring out details (through their intonation, etc) that you may have overlooked. Listening can help you visualize Biblical narrative. And repeated playback can help you absorb the truth of the content.
• Reading the Bible out loud has a precedent! Retelling Scripture was the only way it could be shared before the invention of printing. In Deuteronomy 6 v7 we read of the instruction to “…….teach them diligently to your children, and talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way…….”

THIRD WAY ~ Nice and slow

The third way to improve your Bible reading is a tough-ey, akin to trying just a little bite of your least favourite food? Sloooww down! Go slow??? We want to crack on, master the Word, and feel as if we are making progress! It’s hard to relinquish that idea BUT be kind to yourself by setting yourself up to succeed. THEN you will make progress. To improve your Bible reading try the following ideas:

• Choose a short book and keep reading it for a month. Repeat through the year by choosing other shorter books of the Bible. By the end of the year, you will have read 12 books. Progress!
• Try focal zooming –  ‘Zoom out‘ and read to get a broad ‘picture’ of what a book covers. Then ‘Zoom in‘ on anything that you feel needs further exploration as you read through (HINT: Keep a notebook handy to jot down anything you want to zoom in on later)

FOURTH ~ Go prayerfully

If you have tried any of the Bible Study techniques on our sister website Honey Bible Study you will notice that prayer is always suggested at the beginning and end of each study. We need to take the same approach when ‘just reading’ the Bible too. After all, it is God’s Word. We are not just reading a history book or a collection of letters but a powerful source of instruction, encouragement, etc. If we want to hear God speaking to us through His written Word we need to invite Him to do just that. And at the close, to thank Him for what He has been showing us. 

Another way to pray when reading your Bible is to turn portions of Scripture into prayer. Keep an eye open for passages that are prayers that you could use. Look too for verses of praise that you could adopt as your own. Or try personalizing Scripture passages such as Psalm 23 – insert your name wherever you see the personal pronouns of “me, my, or I” and then re-read the Psalm.

FIFTH ~ Mind’s eye

Time to use your imagination! Whilst reading about a particular event or conversation try to imagine what the scene looked like. Think about where the action is set. Is it set in a town or countryside? In a home or a palace? Are the people walking, standing, sitting, or reclining. Is it daylight or evening? What’s the mood like; angry, sad, bitter, happy or joyful?

If you struggle with imagining a scene try reading the passage in another version of the Bible such as The Message or The Passion Bible. NOTE these versions aren’t suitable for Study but can be helpful in visualizing events You can read more about Bible Versions HERE

SIXTH WAY ~ Ponder this

Don’t be put off by the term, but try meditating! Meditating to improve your Bible reading is just the same as mulling over the information you’ve received. It is NOT the ’empty your mind’ kind of pursuit that Eastern philosophies encourage. On the contrary, it is filling your mind with Scripture

Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day

Psalm 119 v 97

SEVENTH WAY ~ Engage!

To make the most of what we read, we need to retain it. And the best way to do that is to read it with the aim of engaging actively with it. According to the ‘experts’, we only remember approximately:

• 10% of what we hear
• 50% of what we see 
• but 90% of what we see and hear and do

Whilst hearing the Bible through Audio recordings, reading out loud, and reading the Bible in a variety of versions (the equivalent of ‘seeing’) can all help we can go a step further by actively engaging with the Bible.

This is probably where Bible Journaling is most effective. As you actively engage with the written words, in drawing the keywords, illustrating them and colouring using your favourite tools, you are interacting with the words in a way that makes them memorable.

But how about using creative writing, eg poems, songs, short stories to express as accurately as possible the truth you’ve read?

Or at the simplest level of acquisition, try writing out passages of Scripture. It is a Godly method of retention as we read:

• Moses was instructed by God to write (Exodus 34 v 27).
• Kings were instructed to write out the Law (Deuteronomy 17 vs 18-20)

The more you personally engage with the Word the more you make it your ‘own’. 

“Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119 v 11

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs……….” Colossians 3 v 16

So which of the 7 Ways are you going to try first?

• Reading thoughtfully?
• Changing your approach?
• Slowing down?
• Praying?
• Using your imagination?
• Meditating?
• Bible Jounaling or Scripture writing?

Whichever method(s) you use to improve your Bible reading will not be a waste of time, it will be time well spent and richly rewarded.

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