Struggling to Read the Bible Consistently? Here are 7 Reasons Why

Do you ever feel like you’re struggling to read the Bible consistently? 

Maybe you get so caught up in day-to-day life that you simply forget to read your Bible.

Or you tell yourself that you’ll get around to it “later,” but then you never do.

You find time for Facebook… Instagram… even for reading websites for Christian women or Christian blogs for women…

But, all too often, your Bible sits forgotten on the shelf.

If that sounds all too familiar, you’re definitely not alone. 

Keeping a consistent quiet time is something most Christians struggle with from time to time — including me!

As I share in my new book, Fall in Love with God’s Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women, 59 percent of Americans wish they could read their Bibles more often, according to the 2020 State of the Bible Report (Source).

And yet, only 31 percent of Americans read their Bible on at least a weekly basis or more.

We want to read the Bible. We know it’s important. And yet, too many of us struggle to read the Bible as consistently as we’d like. 

When I read this statistic, I thought it was SO strange!

If 59% of Americans (including me!) genuinely want to read our Bibles more often… Why aren’t we doing it? 

And… more importantly… how can we change this?

I decided to find out.

So I sent an email to the Equipping Godly Women community and asked:

“Okay, let’s get honest. If you don’t read your Bible as often as you’d like, why not? What’s holding you back?”

Immediately, hundreds of answers came pouring in…

And in this post, I’m sharing the top 7 reasons that kept coming up again and again!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps cover the many costs of running this site and allows me to help provide for my growing family. Thank you!

Ready to Create a Bible Reading Plan You LOVE?

The good news is: My brand new book, Fall in Love with God’s Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women, can help!

Practical, encouraging, and full of biblical truth, Fall in Love with God’s Word has everything you need to learn how to:

• Overcome 7 common obstacles preventing you from spending time in Scripture
• Discover the personalized Bible-reading routine that works for YOU
• Learn 15 easy ways to make reading the Bible more meaningful and enjoyable
• Use Scripture to conquer sin, false beliefs, and negative thought patterns
• Experience fresh spiritual growth and passion for God’s Word.
• and more!

Please visit Amazon.com or your local bookstore to learn more and grab your copy of Fall in Love with God’s Word (and its companion workbook) today!

7 Reasons You’re Struggling to Read the Bible Consistently

1. You’re too Busy

According to my survey and others: The number one reason Americans report not reading their Bibles is that we’re too busy.

Between work, taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, and everything else we do each day, we don’t have the time to learn how to read and study the Bible for ourselves.

This could be because we’re in a particularly full season OR it could be because we haven’t learned how to manage our time properly to make time for the things that matter most to us.

Either way – if you spend all day taking care of everyone and everything else but you don’t have time for God, you may be too busy.

Too Busy to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Set aside time on your calendar to spend in God’s Word
• Cut back on commitments
• Delegate some of your daily chores to other family members or hire them out, if you can.

Related: How to Make Time for God When You Barely Have Time to Pee

2. You’re too Tired

Another incredible common obstacle so many of us mommas deal with is that we’re just TIRED.

After spending the entire day taking care of everyone and everything else, we often don’t have the time and energy to take time for ourselves — especially on things that require attention and focus, like reading the Bible.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty much worthless after 8-9 pm. If you are too, here are a few tips that will help.

Too Tired to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Rather than waking up early or staying up late, find a time when you’re at your best.
• Look for easy ways to make positive changes to your health so you have more energy.
• Choose a Bible passage that’s more interesting so you’re more likely to stay awake.

3. You Lack Motivation

This is such a common trap that so many people fall into!

If you are simply waiting for the magical motivation fairy to pay you a visit so you can “feel” like reading your Bible, this may never happen.

As a grown-up, there are some things we have to discipline ourselves to do because they are good for us, whether we “feel” like it or not. (For example, eating vegetables, going to work, brushing our teeth…) 

The good news is, once you create a consistent habit, it becomes MUCH easier to get and stay motivated.

(And there are TONS of tips in Fall in Love with God’s Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women that can help with this!)

Not Motivated to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Choose a Bible passage or translation that’s more interesting and engaging
• Read with friends or join a Bible study for accountability
• Find ways to make your Bible reading more fun and enjoyable (for example, listening to an audio Bible while gardening instead of reading a paper version) 

Related: How to Read the Bible Daily (And Make it a Habit)

4. You’re too Distracted

Distractions can come in several different forms.

For example…

• External distractions: Your husband, kids, pets, the dishes, the neighbors, phone calls, the doorbell…
• Internal distractions: Your mental to-do list, negative thoughts you can’t turn off, lack of attention and focus…

While you may never be able to completely eliminate all distractions, thankfully, there are steps you can take to minimize them so they don’t throw you off track quite as much.

Too Distracted to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Choose a different time or place, when you’re less likely to be distracted
• Turn off all notifications, and ask your husband and children to give you some quiet time (it’s totally fine to lock yourself in the bathroom or put on cartoons for the kids if you need to!)
• Meditate on small chunks of Scripture at a time, rather than trying to read entire chapters of Scripture all at once.

Related: How to Stop Getting So Distracted During Prayer and Bible Study

5. You Simply Forget

Have you ever meant to read your Bible, only to get to the end of the day (or the next day!) and realize you completely forgot?

This happens to me all the time if I don’t create a consistent habit of reading my Bible at pretty much the same time every day.

Here are a few easy tricks to make it so you’re less likely to forget.

Keep Forgetting to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Get in the habit of reading your Bible at the same time each day.
• Set an alarm on your phone (maybe two!)
• Leave your Bible somewhere you’ll see it (for example, on the kitchen counter or on your pillow, so it’s right in your way at bedtime).

6. You Lack Adequate Biblical Knowledge

Don’t know HOW to read the Bible? No idea where to start?

Thankfully, there are a ton of resources out there to help you. I’ll link a few of my favorites below.

Don’t Know How to Read Your Bible? Try this: 

• Read this post: How to Read the Bible (Easy Instructions for Beginners!)
• Read the Bible alongside one of these Bible study apps, or use a Christian women’s Bible study or devotional
• Join a Bible study group where you can ask lots of questions

7. You Lack Intimacy with God

How is your relationship with God right now?

Is there anything God has asked you to do that you’ve refused or neglected to obey Him on? Are there any things you’re doing right now that you know God would not approve of, but you haven’t stopped? Do you mostly ignore God and only come to Him when you need something?

The Bible isn’t a novel or a how-to guide, where you can simply pick it up and get simple, static information.

Rather, the Bible is one of the primary ways God speaks to us today.

Therefore, if you and God aren’t exactly on “speaking terms” right now, then it only makes sense that you would struggle to hear Him through the pages of His Word.

I’ve definitely had times like this in my own life when I’ve tried to read my Bible, and…  it suddenly doesn’t work. Passages I could read with ease before suddenly don’t make sense to me. It just feels… different… empty.

You can’t refuse to obey God’s standing orders and expect Him to give you new ones. You can’t refuse to listen to His voice and expect Him to continue speaking. 

God absolutely will sit right where you left Him and wait for you to come back. Then, once you’ve confessed and repented, you can continue walking together again. But often not before.

Broken Relationship with God affecting your Bible Reading? Try this: 

• Confess any sin you’re still holding onto and ask for forgiveness
• Pray and ask for wisdom and understanding
• Instead of reading the Bible just to get facts and information, try to read it to learn more about God — who He is and what He’s like.

Do you ever struggle to read God’s Word consistently? Which one of these 7 things is getting in your way? 

Additional Resources for Learning How to Read the Bible for Beginners

Here at Equipping Godly Women, I have a TON of resources to help you learn how to read the Bible and actually enjoy what you’re reading!

Here are a few additional posts you may enjoy:

How to Read the Bible (Easy Instructions for Beginners)

How to Read the Bible Daily (And Make it a Habit)

Do You Truly Enjoy Reading the Bible? You Can!

How to Study the Bible for Yourself (Easy Beginner Method)

How to Stop Getting So Distracted During Prayer and Bible Study

Struggling to Read the Bible Consistently? Here are 7 Reasons Why

Five Bible Myths to Avoid

Create Your Own Bible Study Basket

10 Best Bible Studies for Women to Help You Grow in Faith

What to Look for In a Women’s Bible Study

7 Best Bible Study Apps for Christian Women — All Free!