From Duty to Delight: How to Actually Enjoy Reading the Bible

Inside: Does Bible reading seem like another task on the to-do list? Is it more a chore than a joy? Here’s a guide on how to enjoy reading the Bible.

“This is it!” you vow to yourself. This new year, you’d get your act together. You’d start reading the Bible again (and head back to the gym).

You start with three chapters a day in your year-long plan. At first, it goes better than expected. But suddenly you’re called away on a work trip. Your car breaks down a week later, plus the whole family catches a mysterious winter bug. 

You start rushing to catch up and “get through” the text. Your comprehension is fuzzy at best, and the Bible becomes drier than a day-old biscuit.

Sigh. Another resolution to fall by the wayside. 

Fortunately, there’s a better way. In this article, I’ll show you how to both read—and enjoy—the Bible more.

The Hidden Danger of the Year-Long Bible Plan

For many Christians, well-intentioned Bible reading plans can become unsustainable over time. They push themselves stay on track no matter what. Or they lose momentum and stop reading the Bible altogether.

Instead of pursing God, they end up pursing the checkmark (if only to avoid the guilt that arises when they break their streak). But Bible reading isn’t the same as gym squats. Grinding through Bible reading “reps” won’t help us build enjoyment of the Word. 

No doubt, there’s a place for year-long Bible reading plans. But if we’re not careful, checking off daily boxes can turn into a spiritual to-do list. It can cause us to lose enjoyment of the Bible itself. We end up missing what God is showing us in His Word. We miss God Himself.

Why Do We Struggle to Read the Bible?

Studies show that engaging with the Bible at least four times a week is the single best predictor of spiritual growth. Yet only 32% of church-going Christians say they read the Bible every day. About 27% say they read the Bible several times a week.

Scott McConnell of Lifeway Research says, “Americans treat reading the Bible a little like exercise. They know it’s important and helpful—but they don’t do it.” 

The following are some of the reasons. Which can you relate to?

• Being too busy
• Not enough time
• Feeling too tired
• Distracted by the online world and entertainment
• Lacking discipline 
• Bible is difficult to understand
• Bible seems boring and lacks relevance
• Afraid of being convicted

The One Psalm You Need

If you struggle to pick up the Bible more often, the best place to begin is Psalm 119. Here the psalmist expresses his deep love for God’s Word. God’s Word not only guides, strengthens, and comforts him, it also gives him joy and delight. Rather than being daily task, it’s his continuous treasure.

Over the course of a few weeks, read through each section, and pray the psalm back to God. Here are a few examples:

Psalmist:

“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.” (v. 20 NIV)

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (v. 103)

Prayer: 

Lord, I admit that I don’t thirst for Your Word like this psalmist, but I want to. Please give me a burning hunger for Your Word.

Psalmist:

“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” (v. 37)

“The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” (v. 72)

Prayer: 

Lord, I confess that I’m distracted and dazzled by the things of the world. Give me a love for your Word that surpasses everything that this world offers. 

Psalmist: 

“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.” (v. 20)

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” (v. 97)

Prayer: 

Lord, I admit that I don’t think about your Word very much. I don’t know how to do so with my busy schedule. Please empower and teach me to meditate on your Word day and night as only You can.

How to Enjoy Reading the Bible

Psalm 119 tells us that we can’t muster up a love for Scripture. God is the One who gives us a love for His Word. But we can cultivate greater enjoyment of the Bible through the habits we build. Here are 10 ways to do this:

1. Turn to the Bible like you would your best friend.

When the weight of life presses in, where do you turn? To a spouse or a friend? To Google, your YouTube feed, or to a Netflix show? Perhaps your preferred AI? The modern world offers us endless options, but the truth is that God’s Word contains the solace and guidance we seek. 

The psalmist makes this clear in Psalm 119: “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word (v. 28). “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life” (v. 50) “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors (v. 24).

Don’t wait until a major crisis to flip open your Bible. Get into the habit of going to the Word as your ongoing source of comfort and counsel. When we repeatedly rely on the Bible for life, we develop a hunger and thirst for it. 

2. Start with a bite-sized habit.

If you don’t already have a habit of Bible reading, now is not the time for an ambitious year-long plan that involves three or four chapters a day. Give yourself permission to start much smaller.

Pick a book from the New Testament or start in the Psalms or Proverbs. Read a chapter a day until it becomes a habit. If a verse seems to jump out to you, take the time to slow down and study it further. 

Once Bible reading becomes a habit, it becomes automatic, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. You feel “off” when you miss a day. When you’re no longer wrestling your willpower, you’re free to enjoy Bible reading more.

RELATED: How to Make Bible Reading a Habit That You’ll Stick To

3. Set a length of time, rather than number of chapters.

As you progress in your habit, set a length of time to read, rather than number of chapters. Start out with 15 minutes a day, for example. The goal is not quantity, but quality of Bible reading. 

When you’re not rushing, you’ll find nuggets of insight that you would’ve skimmed over. You’ll connect with God better, and the Word will change you more.

So think deeply about what you’re reading. Compare different translations to understand passages better. Look up cross references to see related verses. Then jot down what God shows you. 

4. Switch to an easier-to-read translation.

If you struggle to get into Bible reading, it may not be your heart. It could be the language. 

The best translation for you is not necessarily the one that you “should” be reading or the one you grew up reading. (The King James Version is powerful, but it can feel like reading Shakespeare before coffee!)

If you feel stuck with your current Bible, consider using a version such as the New Living Translation (NLT).  This readable modern translation uses the conversational language that you and I use every day. You can always switch to a different translation later or use another version for studying the Bible. 

The best translation makes you want to pick up the Bible and keep on reading. It speaks not only to your mind, but also to your heart and soul. It’s the one you’ll actually read. 

5. Make Bible reading a sensory delight.

In Atomic Habits, James Clear says that making a habit attractive means we’re more likely to want to do it consistently. To enjoy reading the Bible more, combine it with other things you love. Do whatever it takes to make this time appeal to your five senses.

Make a comforting coffee or tea. Curl up in a cushy nook. Light a tranquil candle for only this occasion. Find a pleasant-to-touch artisan Bible cover. Buy some ultra-fine pens meant for writing on delicate pages. (Hello, Sakura Pigma Micron Pen set!)

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6. Don’t limit yourself to once a day.

Once you’ve established a daily habit, don’t limit yourself to it. One of the dangers of a designated devotional time is that we read the Bible, close the covers, and move on. We check the box and leave God out of the rest of the day. 

Like a fire, our appetite for Scripture only grows stronger the more it is fed. The more we feed on the Word, the more we hunger for it. So if your season of life allows it, pick up your Bible early and often.

The simplest way to do this is to carry a Bible with you everywhere and open it up instead of your phone—at least some of the time. This way, Bible reading becomes not only a habit, but also a lifestyle.

7. Seek to be awed.

Just as someone can wander through nature without noticing its beauty, it’s possible to study the Bible and miss the beauty of God altogether. We can inadvertently approach the Bible like an encyclopedia or how-to manual for life. 

Professor Barbara Fredrickson describes awe as an emotion that happens when a person is “overwhelmed by greatness.” When you read God’s Word, seek to be awed, or overwhelmed by greatness. Pray Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” 

Instead of reading for information, read the Bible as the larger story of God and His redemptive plan for mankind. Consider God’s magnificent power. Notice His goodness and kindness. Look for the great things God did for His people—and then consider the great things He’s done for you.

“…our ultimate goal in reading the Bible is that God’s infinite worth and beauty would be exalted in the everlasting, white-hot worship of the blood-bought bride of Christ from every people, language, tribe, and nation.”

-John Piper, Reading the Bible Supernaturally

8. Make Bible reading oral and communal.

With all the emphasis on personal Bible reading today, this wasn’t the case for early Christians. For over a thousand years, most Christians didn’t have their own written copy of the Bible. Instead, they listened to the Word being read to them in community. 

Christianity was a historically oral and communal faith. So listen to the Bible, especially if you’re an audio learner. Study the Bible together with other believers. Discuss what you read in community. 

Don’t read the Bible in isolation. It’s like Monday Night Football or crafting club. Whatever you talk about together, you enjoy more. 

9. Start a personal legacy Bible.

The best study Bible is not the kind you buy, it’s the one you create. In a personal legacy Bible, you write your own notes in the margins. Think of it as a long-term project that you add to gradually. It can even become an heirloom that you pass down to your kids.

Start with a quality wide-margin Bible or journaling Bible along with ultra-thin Bible pens. Decide ahead of time what you want to record in the margins.

You’ll probably record what God shows you in His Word. You might write down lessons and wisdom that God teaches you through trials. Or capture prayers and answered prayers.

10. Don’t ignore God’s promptings.

God will speak to us through His Word in various ways. One way is through giving us the desire to open the Bible or urge to look up a verse. Specific Bible verses might also come to mind throughout the day. 

The more you read the Bible, the more of these promptings you’ll get. Don’t dismiss them or push them aside. As 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says: “Do not quench the Spirit.” 

When we override God’s promptings with busyness, social media, entertainment, or things of this world, we lose that sensitivity for the things of God—and enjoyment of the Word itself.

Not Reading but Receiving

Enjoying Bible reading isn’t about loving the act of reading itself but loving what God reveals to us through it. So let’s stop reading the Bible out of obligation.

Instead, let’s receive it as the spiritual nourishment that feeds and strengthen our souls. When we come to believe that we can’t live without His Word, we’ll hunger for it—and enjoy it more.

Now, if we could only get better about going to the gym.

What might help you enjoy reading the Bible more?

For more on this topic:

How to Make Bible Reading a Habit That You’ll Stick To

14 Ways to Stay Connected to God (When You’re Already Busy)

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Photo by Ben White on Unsplash