“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15
Studying the Bible is one of the greatest and most vital things to do in your Christian journey. The word of God is amazingly powerful and is fully capable of radically changing a person’s life (Hebrews 4:12). God has given us the Bible as his word to guide us and show us how to live in the best way possible. I like to say the Bible is God’s love story to us, detailing the great lengths he goes to make sure we are safe and loved. Everything we ever need to know is in His Word.
The Bible is vast, and no matter how long or how much you read it, you will never discover all of its true depths. To grow and become closer to God, we must seek Him daily through his Word. This is how we know His will and who God truly is. Taking time out of our day to spend time with Christ is important but how do we do it? What are the best ways to get the most out of each session? How can we study the word of God effectively to grow and become better Christians?
I’m glad you asked. Here are eight great tips to study the Bible.
How to Study the Bible
1. Choose the Right Setting
Reading the word of God and spending time with our Lord is sacred. We want to do this in a place where there are no distractions such as loud sounds, disturbing interruptions, or constant alerts that draw our attention away from Jesus (Matthew 14:23). Studying the word of God in a quiet, calm place is important because we need time to fully register and take in what we are reading. We also need to give ourselves the clear space to hear God’s voice speaking to our hearts should he ever need to during this time. Studying the Bible is like studying any other subject for school or for testing. You need a plan, space, and your complete undivided attention to truly get the most out of it.
Fully giving God our time, energy, and focus is ideal and of utmost importance during these times. Think to yourself for a moment: where could you go that you can have a good 1 hour or so dedicated just to yourself and Jesus? This can be anywhere: your bedroom, a closet, a quiet park or place in nature–anywhere you feel like you can quietly go to God and connect. This can be a challenge for people who are busy or have a lot going on in your life, but making time for God and his Word should be your first priority, and nothing should come above this. Spending time with God is worth the sacrifice of any situation.
2. Choose a time that works for YOU
The second thing to keep in mind when planning on studying the word of God is the time of day you choose. I made this an entire separate point from the importance of the setting because I feel as though many people may fall into the mistakes I have made in the past. Studying the word of God can quickly become tricky if you don’t really plan and take out time to do it. The time of day you choose can also be a determining factor if the bible study session goes great or unsuccessful.
I will not tell you that one time of day is better than the other, but I will say this: Know yourself. If you are a morning person, do not try to study the Bible at night. You may fall asleep halfway through or get caught up with your other nightly routines or tasks and it ends up falling through the cracks. Schedule time to wake up a bit earlier so you can ready and study the Bible with your coffee or tea. This can also be a great option for those who have children and want to get things done before anyone wakes up for the day.
However, if you are not a morning person, don’t try to be! The opposite can be true. You can end up sleeping through your alarms that you have set for Bible study at 5am and never end up doing it at all! Don’t fall into the trap of comparing your lifestyle to others. If the afternoon, midday or nighttime works better for you, then do it. The most important thing is that it is regularly scheduled and regularly getting done. Also, don’t be afraid to do a bit of trial and error to know what works for you specifically.
3. Start with Prayer, End with Prayer
A great way to start your Bible study is to invite God in. Prayer is a great way to ask God to open up your heart and mind to what you are about to read and to request for greater understanding.
At the end of your Bible session, you can close out by giving God thanks for the time spent with Him and to ask to be lead in and by his Word. Reading the word of God is one thing but applying it to your daily life is what truly matters (James 1:22). Asking God to help you do so is key.
4. Take Notes
As per any good studying session, a key way to really ingest what you are reading is to take notes. Some people do this at the side of the actual Bible (some Bibles come with a note section at the side) while others have a separate notebook. Whichever you choose is great. I personally prefer to write my notes in a separate book because I can look over the notes more easily and have ample space to write out all of my thoughts without worrying it won’t fit.
So, the question now could be: what should I be taking notes on? Anything and everything! If you love a verse, you can highlight it and write it down. You can also write what message or interpretation you received from the verse or chapter and how it connects to life or a situation. There are truly no wrong ways to do this. Write what is in your heart and what you feel God is telling you in the moment. If you ever get stuck or simply don’t know where to start, try summarizing. Choose a few verses or even a full chapter and write down what happened or was said. Try to see what God is saying in these verses.
5. Reflect/Meditate
One of the ways you can get the most out of your Bible study is reflecting and meditating on what you just read (1 Timothy 4:15). This can be done in a variety of ways. First, you can reflect on the verse or chapter by continuous exposure. Write down the verse or summary of the chapter and keep it on hand to remind yourself of the message. This can be done by simply rereading and reviewing the verse/chapter during the session or day to day afterwards.
Another great way is to sit with it for a bit. Read the verse and take it in by reciting it to yourself as you exhale/inhale. Ask God what he means. Communicate with him. Try applying it to your life and think of all the possible ways God may be speaking to you.
6. Read helpful guides/Study notes of others
A great tip when you are starting out (or if you are looking to spice things up) is to purchase Bible study guides. Some Bibles come with this feature already included, but most guides are available to read/take notes alongside your Bible. Their main use is to help you understand a bit deeper than before.
Be sure to be careful though, not every author or writer is well-versed or correct when it comes to their own interpretations. Ask God for discernment.
7. Do it with a group
Studying the Bible is great on your own. I recommend doing it for most of your sessions to really get that one-on-one time with Jesus. However, Bible study groups can be very fun and informative when done correctly! They can create a level of excitement and understanding you wouldn’t have received on your own (Matthew 18:20).
The key to study groups is to come up with a topic or a few chapters you specifically want you focus on. A great thing to do is to read up on the chapters before the study group session occurs so you can bring your thoughts to the rest. At the session, allow everyone to speak and discuss what they think the verses or chapters mean. You can even give members one verse each to discuss. The possibilities are endless.
8. Baby Steps
Overall, studying the word of God is so important! But… after reading all of this, I fear that some people can get the wrong impression. Your time spent with God doesn’t have to be perfect! As a matter of fact, it won’t be perfect or even go smoothly when you just start. Even after you get into a routine and have mastered it, it won’t always go to plan every time. The main focus point here is to get started. Some days you may get distracted, feel tired or feel overwhelmed. Some days you may not understand anything you read! Keep going, keep trying.
Being a Christian is a lifelong commitment. It’s important to plan and organize your day to reflect that vow you made with Christ. It may be hard, but it is worth it and will get you closer to God and to everlasting life. Our Christian journey is just that: a journey. No one has arrived at perfection, no matter how long they have been doing this.
As messy as it may be in the beginning, you should focus on showing up and doing your best. God will handle the rest.
This post was all about how to study the Bible.
