How to Stay Focused While Reading the Bible: 5 Practical Tips and Tricks

May 5

When I started reading The Bible at 7 years old, my little Faith Girlz tween Bible was the go-to for any advice I needed, complete with its own little journal; but somewhere between 14 and 21 years old, I outgrew that Bible and wanted something a bit more traditional. WOW was I embarrassed to admit to my mom that I have never been able to get past Numbers in my traditional Bible (the King James version I’ll have thou know). It was only recently that I received my new study Bible, with its own journal and illustrations. However, I still had the issue of not being able to get through the Old Testament. Every time I sat down and read, I began to think “I haven’t taken the chicken out to defrost, and I forgot to water the dishes” or “Why is drinking water clear but the ocean water is blue”. You name it, I thought it; so it is safe to say my Bible reading sessions often ended with a lot of guilt due to not being able to get through what I had set for the day. I thought “How is it I can’t sit still long enough to read the Bible, but I am perfectly capable of listening to and absorbing every word of a true crime podcast?”

We live in a very connected, always-on world, and this constant overstimulation of our minds makes it hard for us to be still and just get connected with God. Too many times I have been guilty of closing my Bible before getting to my targeted number of chapters, in favor of seeing what’s happening on TikTok or Instagram.

Have you ever had these moments which often end in shame? If so, I am here to help.

In this blog, I will share with you my top 5 tips on what to do to stay focused when reading The Bible. Reading The Bible can be supplemented with many fun activities, or videos to watch to further enhance your perspective, or give context. But it is hard to enjoy these activities when you sit down to read, open a chapter, and suddenly feel as if your mind is too flooded with thoughts to comprehend anything. Sometimes we are unable to silence our minds, or to stick to our routine and we slip up on our Bible journey, and while this is okay and happens to the best of us, a few tips on what to do in these situations might be just what you need.

Tip 1: Always pray before you read.

Oftentimes the reason we fail at staying focused is because our minds are full of distracting thoughts, and it could be helpful for you to pray before you begin your devotional time. Ask God to quiet your mind, and to make you present in your time with Him.

Here’s a simple prayer I say in the morning: Lord, thank you for this time I get to spend with You, meditating on Your Word today. I pray that You will guide me through this, and keep me focused on the Word. I pray that this time will only bring me closer to You and who You have set out for me to be. In Jesus’ name, I pray this, Amen.

Prayer connects us with God, and perhaps this will set your Bible reading times apart from other activities that might pull your attention away from reading.

Tip 2: Find a devotion time that you are able to stick to.

Covid threw my entire 5 am routine off, to the point where I was still struggling in 2022 with waking up and maintaining my self-discipline. This had a negative effect on my Bible time, as I was leaving all of my activities up to my mood for that day.

So this year, I’ve decided to wake up at 6 a.m., leave my phone off and wash my face, make my coffee, and read my Bible. Sometimes this is hard to stick to, but it is all about finding what works for you.

If you have an early schedule, maybe you’re a student, you could set your devotional time to just before bedtime when you have completed all of your responsibilities for the day, thus improving your ability to focus.

Maybe you’d like to read the Bible with a fresh mind? Whichever you think would work, stick to it for a week and set an alarm for your reading time, see if that helps you.

Tip 3: Set the ambiance to maximize the quiet time with you and the Lord.

I think romanticizing your life has to be the best idea anyone has come up with in the last couple of years, other than curbside pick-up.

But maybe setting the scene for your Bible time could improve your focus, and keep you engaged in order to achieve your goal for the day.

Maybe you could light some candles, or get some essential oils and light a burner, or maybe you just need some soft lighting to calm your mind. Maybe you would enjoy reading outside?

Whichever you feel will calm your environment down and calm your mind down, try it;

I like to make a cup of tea and light my burner and some candles, and this drastically improved my Bible time.

Tip 4: Read fewer chapters per day and try the SOAP method.

Every year I have tried to finish the Bible in a year from cover to cover, and every year this method has failed me.

It was only when I realized that I did not need to read it from cover to cover, and I did not need to read a whole book in one day, that I began to become consistent.

Sometimes breaking it down into manageable bits and working your way through it with an exercise helps.

Funnily enough, I would not be writing this article right now if I didn’t stumble upon this TikTok by Niyah Simone. She explained that using the SOAP method is a helpful way to contextualize what we read, and helps us reflect on what it is that we think we can learn from the chapters, things we might not normally pick up on or absorb.

The SOAP method stands for:
Scripture
Observation
Application
Prayer

This is a way to break down the Bible in a manner that will give you a better understanding of what you are reading, improving your ability to stay focused. For a further explanation, Niyah provides a detailed description of each step and how to use the method successfully.

Tip 5: Try to keep your phone on DND.

Our phones are often always so close to us, and while this is good when we need to be within reach, there are times when being connected is not necessary, such as Bible Study time. Perhaps you could leave your phone in another room or put it on Airplane mode, in order to eliminate the possibility that in the event that you do lose focus, you would grab your phone in that moment; this instead could get you to focus back on your reading.

Losing focus while reading the Bible is a problem that even those who have been reading the Bible for years face, struggling with remaining consistent. It is in these moments of distraction or inability to focus that we should contemplate what it is that is distracting us, and bring it to God. Although we are not always consistent and may feel guilty for losing our focus, God knows our hearts and knows that although our attempt might not have been a success, our intentions were sincere, and we should remind ourselves of this and give ourselves grace. My friend once told me when I confided in her about my tendency to get distracted: The Lord is always praying and interceding for you. He is still focused on you even if you are struggling to focus on Him. 2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us of this as we are reminded that Christ works on us when we are weak and that His power strengthens us in our moments of weakness.

If focus is something you struggle with, I encourage you to try these five tips: Prayer, a set time, a calm environment, the SOAP method, as well as a phone-free zone.

All of these have enhanced my Bible time, and hopefully, they can provide you with simple yet practical ways to quiet down your mind and sharpen your focus, because we all have a desire to read the Word and implement its teachings in our lives.

Key Scriptures:

Psalm 1:2-3
2 Timothy 3:16
Hebrews 12: 2

Tiffany C.