How to Start Reading the Bible Daily – 5 Practical Tips

Want to read your bible daily but struggling to stay consistent? Learn how to start reading the Bible daily with my 5 practical tips and encouraging reminders.

How to Start Reading the Bible Daily

Hi friend!

Are you a Christian who wants to start reading the Bible daily but you’re not sure where to start or how to get started?

Have you tried to read your bible daily in the past but you struggle to stay consistent?

If this sounds like you, I’m here to encourage you on your bible reading journey and help you get started with 5 practical tips.

In today’s post I’ll be sharing my 5 best daily bible reading tips and the daily habits to implement that will help you stay consistent in reading God’s word. 

The Mindset Shift That Changes Reading The Bible

Before we dive into today’s bible reading tips, I want to share a bit of my own personal journey with bible reading.

Years ago I really struggled with reading my bible consistently. I wanted to read my Bible daily so that I could grow closer to Jesus, but every single time I would start a bible reading plan I would ultimately end up overwhelmed and give up.

In all honesty I thought I’d never be able to successfully read my bible daily, and maybe that’s how you feel right now. 

Thankfully in my discouragement the Holy Spirit gently reminded me of two truths.

1. He reminded me that I’m not alone. And neither are you, friend.
2. He reminded me that reading the Bible isn’t about me. It’s about Jesus.

I realized that out of pride I had been putting all the pressure on myself. I kept trying to do everything all on my own strength and in doing so I forgot the whole purpose of reading my Bible – to KNOW Jesus.

Thankfully in that moment I remembered Matthew 11:28-30 which says:

 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

I didn’t have to keep trying to do everything all on my own and instead I could give it to Jesus. And so can you, friend.  

I went to God in prayer and humbly asked for him to help me. I asked for him to help me keep my eyes fixed on him and for help in staying committed. And slowly but surely reading my bible daily became a lasting habit.

Through God’s help, day after day I kept showing up and I know you can too, friend.

5 Practical Tips to Start Reading The Bible Daily

No matter where you are in your Christian walk, I want you to know that it’s never too late to start reading the Bible daily.

And I’m here to encourage you to stop waiting for tomorrow or the weekend or New Year’s to commit. Start today. 

Reading your bible daily will truly change your faith life and deepen your relationship with Jesus. 

Below I’ve put together a list of 5 practical tips to help you start reading the Bible daily.

These are the things that have really helped me stay consistent with bible reading and I pray they encourage you to get started. 

Daily Bible Reading Tip # 1 – Pray First

You might be wondering – What is the first step in reading the Bible?

First and foremost, the #1 best thing you can do when you want to start reading your bible daily is to pray about it. 

So often, we mistakenly think it’s all on us, but reading your bible is not a one-person job. Speaking from personal experience, relying on your own strength and understanding won’t get you very far. 

Instead, you should always go to God and pray about it. 

• If you want to be more consistent with reading the bible daily, then PRAY about it. 
• If you want to better understand the scriptures you’re reading, then PRAY about it. 
• If you want to learn how to apply the word to your life, then PRAY about it. 

And, no this is not a one time event. You should go to God in prayer daily and every time you open your Bible.

You can be confident that God will give you strength, wisdom, focus, and understanding if you simply pray and ask him for it.

Here’s just a few scriptures that confirm this: 

James 1:5 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” 

Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Psalms 84:11 says, “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” 

Want a beautiful reminder from Jesus on how to pray? Check out my free “The Lord’s Prayer” printable over here. 

Daily Bible Reading Tip #2 – Start Small + Build Up

Second, I strongly encourage anyone new to reading their bible to start small and build up over time.

If you think of reading your bible as a spiritual workout, then you will learn to treat it as such. 

If you were a new runner, you’d likely never sign up to run a marathon on the first day of training, and the same holds true for reading your Bible. 

First focus on creating a daily habit that’s sustainable. It will take time, but remember that small consistent efforts lead to big changes. 

While a bible in a year plan is a great challenge once you’ve been consistent with reading the bible daily, it can be too overwhelming for beginners. 

Instead I recommend starting small with a daily devotional plan, or a slower-paced bible reading plan. 

Starting small will help you slowly grow accustomed to reading your bible every single day and will help build the spiritual discipline to keep coming back. 

Practical Tip: I highly recommend this daily devotional plan to get you started. (Use code: CARAOWENS10 to save 10%)

This devotional only takes 5-10 minutes to complete every day, and I love the daily encouragement and reminders of God’s truth. 

Another great option is following a free bible plan in the Bible App.

Daily Bible Reading Tip #3 – Pick a Time of Day You’ll Stick To

After you’ve decided on a reading plan, it’s important to choose a set time of day.

The reason it’s important to pick a specific time of day is because this is going to help you maintain consistency, which helps strengthen the habit. 

A set time also helps you stop making common excuses like:

• “I’m too tired to read today” or
• “I don’t have time”

If you truly want to read your bible daily and grow in your faith, then make it a priority by setting aside a set time. 

That said, be smart and realistic about what time you choose, and the amount of time you’re able to commit to. 

If you’re a night owl, don’t choose 5 AM to read your bible. Instead opt for a time of day where you can best focus with minimal distractions. 

If you’re in a busy season of life and can’t commit to reading for an hour a day, commit to 15 minutes so that you will consistently show up. 

I personally read my bible first thing in the morning. On weekdays, I sit down and read after my kids have left for school and the house is quiet. On the weekends I wake up early and read before the rest of my household is awake. 

Choose what works best for your lifestyle and schedule and commit to showing up. 

Practical Tip: When getting started, set a daily reminder on your phone.

Many bible apps like Youversion will send you daily notification reminders to help you stay on track, or you can simply set an alarm for a specific time of day. 

Daily Bible Reading Tip #4 – Pick a Quiet Spot

Another way to be consistent with your bible reading is to pick a quiet spot with minimal distractions and make it a special part of your day.

Whether you have a favorite reading chair, love to sit on your front porch, or you simply like reading the Bible while you’re still in bed, this adds routine to your day. 

Every morning I curl up under my favorite cozy blanket on the couch, drink my coffee, and dive deep into God’s word. In the winter I’ll turn on my fireplace and in the warmer months I’ll often go into my sunroom and bask in the beauty of God’s creation all around. 

My bible reading location is simple yet something I truly look forward to each day, and it helps re-posture my heart for the rest of my day. 

Practical Tip: Turn off your TV and silence your devices/notifications when you read.

This helps you wholeheartedly focus on reading and reflecting on God’s word.

Daily Bible Reading Tip #5 – Be Patient With Yourself

Lastly, be patient with yourself and remember it’s a journey not a race. 

When you start reading the Bible daily it is going to be challenging at first.

But don’t give up or make excuses when it gets hard. Reading the bible daily is going to take time and consistency, and keep in mind that life happens. 

Some mornings, you’ll wake up sick – or your kids will wake up sick. There are days an emergency will happen, you’ll have a change in your schedule, or you’ll have to travel somewhere. 

When this happens, don’t panic or throw in the towel.

If you happen to miss a day, don’t beat yourself up or let it drag you into a spiral of giving up altogether.

Pick back up the next day and keep going, celebrating even the smallest of wins. 

There are days where you might only read a verse or two, but that is better than not reading your bible at all. 

And just as I mentioned in tip #1, always start with prayer. Remember that you are not on this journey alone and whenever you’re struggling you can always go to God and ask him for strength and encouragement. 

Practical Tip: Use these bible reading hacks on extra busy or travel days.

1. Busy day cut into your normal quiet time? Set a 5-minute timer and read a few verses. 5 minutes is better than nothing. 
2. Traveling or have a long commute? Listen to your Bible! Most bible apps have audio versions which is a great option when you are driving or getting ready. I use the Youversion one and it’s great!

I hope that today’s post helped encourage you as you start on your bible reading journey!

Which tip did you find most helpful? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by! – Cara

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