Sometimes I just don’t want to read the Bible. But instead of totally neglecting the Word or forcing myself to read a chapter or two, there are a few things that I do. And that’s what I’m sharing today. 

1) Listen to Scripturally Sound Sermons

One of the things I do is listen to sermons. 

I go to church pretty much every week, but I need the Word in between those church services. When I don’t feel like reading the Bible in the week, I look for sermons online and listen to them. 

But there are some key things that I keep in mind when I am doing this.

a) Listen to sermons that pique my interest 

I choose sermons that expound on issues or topics that I’m interested in because this keeps my attention.

The first thing I do is identify any issues or struggles that  I am facing or any topic that I want to learn more about. Then I look for sermons on those topics.

When I do that, I’m way more likely to pay attention to the sermon. And I actually listen to what the preacher has to say. 

So think about the issues you are facing or the area you want to grow in, and look for sermons on those.

It could be topics such as growing your faith, healing and deliverance, forgiveness, spiritual gifts or even money management. 

b) Watch sermons that incorporate the reading of the Bible

Another key thing is that I choose to listen to sermons that incorporate the reading of Scripture.  

The sermons I listen to are normally on YouTube. Since it’s a visual platform, I really like it when the preacher puts the Bible verse on the screen.

By doing so, I can follow along as they read and see what the Word says for myself. 

I prefer sermons that make a lot of reference to the Scripture. That helps me to be sure that what the preacher is sharing is the Word of God, not their opinions. 

c) I listen to sermons that keep the focus on God not self

Another key thing is that I listen to sermons that keep the focus on God, not self. The whole point of reading, studying or delving into the Word is to get to know and trust God.

And that’s why I prefer to listen to sermons that exalt God and talk about His character, like His faithfulness and goodness.

So I try to stay away from sermons that focus too much on self or sound more like a motivational speech. 

2) Meditate on Bible Verses

The next thing I do when I don’t feel like reading the Bible is meditate on Bible verses that I already memorized. 

So I choose a Bible verse that I already know and think about it constantly throughout the day. I think about what it means and how I can apply it. 

For example, Proverbs 3:6….In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. 

So I would meditate on that throughout my day, and as I think about it, I would realize that it’s a promise. According to the verse, if I acknowledge God, He directs my path. 

I would also realize that it says I should acknowledge Him in ALL my ways. So I would start thinking about the ways that I can acknowledge God.

And as I think about that, I would come up with ways like career choices, diet changes, hair growth strategies, YouTube video ideas and things like that. 

I would also become aware of ways that I’m not acknowledging Him and just doing my own thing. So I would see areas that I can seek the Lord about.

3) Read one Bible verse on my phone

I think that sometimes I don’t read the Bible because I think that I need to pick up the physical copy. And in this day and age, I think we have been accustomed to reading most things on our phones or watching videos. 

So I have to keep reminding myself that I can read the Bible on my phone. And since I have my phone with me almost all the time, I have access to the Bible almost all the time.

So I downloaded a Bible app on my phone so that I can access it just in case I don’t have access to the internet. 

The next thing I do is remind myself that I don’t have to read a whole passage or chapter. I can read one verse and meditate on that. 

So that’s something else that I have been doing. I choose a verse, and I read it. And sometimes I read a commentary on it, then meditate on that for the rest of the day. 

4) Listen to the audio Bible

I don’t actually listen to the audio Bible, but it is an option that you can choose. You can download an app or use YouTube. You can also listen to the dramatized version to make it more interesting.

I do think we have become more interested in listening and watching than reading, so you can try listening to the audio Bible. 

Takeaway 

I want to make it clear that reading the Bible is very important and it’s a habit that we should really cultivate because it helps to build our relationship with God. 

This video is not permitting you to neglect spending time in the Word. But I know that there are seasons when reading the Bible is not the most appealing thing, and this could be for various reasons.

However, instead of completely neglecting the Word, try incorporating one or all of these suggestions into your daily routine so you can stay connected with God during this season.

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