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

🌺  Written by Brittany Ann

 Struggling to Read the Bible Consistently? Here are 7 Reasons WhyDo 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 Women59 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?

 

Fall in Love with God's Work Book and WorkbookThe 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!

 

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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: 

 

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!

 

 

Brittany Ann Equipping Godly Women

About the author

Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author of “Fall in Love with God’s Word” and “Follow God’s Will” and the founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. Her work has been featured on CBN, The Christian Post, Crosswalk, and more.

  1. This is something I have been struggling with myself. I already knew what you were going to say in this post before I even read it but I felt “led” to read it anyway. Happy I did because there are some things that I need to work on like putting God 1st and reading my bible daily.

      1. I read your article and I was inspired by it. I have been doing the daily reading from Day 1 and have gotten n up early every morning consistently with Joy and expectation.
        My faith confidence in the Lord and faith in Him and peace has already grown. The day that your email to start Day 1 reading I believe was from the Lord. As I was so hungry. Thank You so much Brittany

  2. I struggled with this because I spend 12 or more hours a day driving for a living. When I get home there just isn’t enough time in the day to spend time with my kids, eat and sleep. So, I got a dramatized audio Bible from the NKJV translation. Not only did it give me time to listen to my Bible while at work, it helped me go through the books that are most difficult to read with focus. I also learned that sometimes it just sinks in better listening to someone else read it to me. Now we sometimes will listen to it and follow along in the text. It has really helped us to understand some of the more complicated parts of our Bible.

    1. That’s an awesome idea! Driving doesn’t have to be a distraction – it can be a gift! That’s a LOT of time you can spend with God! 🙂

    2. Rebecca, that is an awesome idea. I also listen to dramatized audio bibles on Youtube whenever I get the chance. I read too but I have OCD and when it is active, I must re-read each sentence several times over and over again (and this is with anything that I read). It’s very frustrating. I won’t admit how long it took me to read this article. 🙁

      But lately I haven’t had as much of that problem when I get into the Bible, but I never know when it’s going to come back and that doesn’t motivate me to read, so I literally have to think about it for days before I finally just face my fears.
      However, when I have, I’ve definitely been in the zone and read through quite a bit, glory to God.

      Anyways, just saying Audio Bibles are a God-send for those of us who struggle with a mental (hearing, reading, or learning) disorder.

      Great article, Brittany!

  3. Next month (April) will mark my 42nd year as a Christian. I am going to make a soul searching statement for Christians to ponder.

    After listing all the reasons why Christians neglect reading and meditating upon God’s Word, it all comes down to how much are we really hungry for God. If we are truly hungry for God, then we will be hungry for God’s Word. JESUS said “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” With that statement, JESUS cut through all the excuses and got right to the deep rooted inner core of our true affections.

    THE SHOCKING TRUTH!

    In a recent Gallup Poll, 41% of Americans who call themselves Born-again Christians said they “rarely read” or “never read” the Bible. 12% say they “read” the Bible monthly. 10% say they read the Bible less than monthly. Another statistical research showed that less than 10% of professing Christians have ever “read” the entire Bible. If these studies are even close to being accurate, it is a startling revelation of the “TRUE CONDITION” of the Church today in America!

    Sadly, the Churches today are filled with people who attend Church faithfully, but are not really hungry for God.

    I am not sharing what I have just shared, without have a great deal of understanding on a very personal level. Because of my hunger and great love for God’s Word, in the past several years, I have written 12 articles (which consist of 19 pages) on how “VITAL” it is for Christians to read and meditate upon God’s Word.

    Also, I have personally discovered that when we are truly hungry for God’s Word and His truth, that God will open up the revelation of His Word to us with a continual degree of greater understanding.

    I will share one example of this in my own life. I wrote an article “What is the “GOOD NEWS” of the Gospel of Christ?” (Re-examining the widely held belief of “eternal torment” in “Hellfire”)

    I was a Christian for 38 years before the Lord opened up my understanding from His Written Word to this AMAZING TRUTH. This is a good example of how God will open up the understanding of His Written Word to Christians who are truly hungry for the truth from His Written Word. However, it does not happen overnight.

  4. Thank you for illuminating this obvious truth .. Im guilty as charged. Its perfectly true..

    This morning mrs. kathleen cooke talk in our womens event here in manila to prioritize time with Gods word.. Which convicted me,

    my heart is far away from God and i barely read the bible nor attends church..

    Thank you for complementing it with this article.
    I will share it to our dgrp

  5. I have a very hard time reading and being able to comprehend or understand what the Bible actually is trying to say. Can you please point in some directions of other versions of the Bible and bible studies to help me understand what I’m reading. Thank you so much.

  6. I’ve been struggling too. But I know my own problem. I am very indiscipline. Not only in Bible reading but generally. I really pray God changes me. I want to be more committed

  7. Okay, I’m not a mom yet. I’m a teenager and I love to read my Bible too and share God’s word with others. But I am not consistent and When I fall back, I can’t understand the Bible as I used too so reading my Bible becomes really boring. I know something’s wrong so I asked God to tell speak to me through someone. Thank You. I will all over by God’s grace.

  8. I am about to read my Bible now but I actually didn’t feel reading it that’s why I am here. Yes, #1 is true, we were obligated to read it. Second is, I’ve been very unhappy with my environment right now that I became depressed. I would be spending most of my time sleeping. And it’s true, instead of filling myself with God’s Word in my broken times, I would rather eat, watch netflix, facebook and other stuff. Today, I feel like I’ve totally lost connection with God yet I still don’t feel the urge to read the Bible.

    1. Do you have a friend you could read the Bible with? That could make it more interesting / provide more motivation / help get you out of a rut. I totally know what it’s like to be in a place where you have no motivation and you don’t want to do anything. Getting can absolutely be the hardest part. But with a friend’s help, I bet you’d feel better…. 🙂

  9. I grow up in a christian family, so going to church on Sunday with my family feels like a routine since young. I never really have any doubts about God. But as I grow I find myself struggling to read the bible and pray. As I also find it hard to express myself and my thoughts, I came to this post and I think I understand why. I think I’m really addicted to busy and I’ve been constantly looking for comfort elsewhere. I think I have these behaviors because I’m disappointed by God, there are some things I’m not happy about and I just want to control my own life and my surroundings. But this is so tough, I know the core problem is my relationship with God, I have distant myself from Him and every time I try to come back, it just doesn’t work. There are some days I feel the urge of reading the bible but I ended up watching Youtube videos or Facebook. I hope one day I will be consistent in reading the bible and understand God better.

  10. wow am 19 yet still impressed with this message….indeed most Christians are not in the good habit of reading the bible, it hinders us from spiritual growth!!! lets put our house in order and ask for Gods abundant grace and his strength and wisdom, because WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US…..

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