7 Tips to Refresh Your Bible Study Time

Does time in the Word feel stale? Do you struggle to make it through Leviticus or Jeremiah? Do you need a Bible study refresh? Sometimes we just need a couple of new ideas to help us get going. And that’s what I’ve got for you today: seven of my favorite Bible study tips to refresh your Bible study and help you get the most out of your time in God’s Word. Pick one and try it this week!

Tips to Refresh Your Bible Study

1. Ask questions. 

As you read the Bible, write down every question you have. That’s it. No pressure to answer them, just write down the questions. And don’t be surprised if you have a lot of them. 

Asking questions is an important step in Bible study; it’s part of the learning process. Sometimes we’re afraid to ask questions because we think we have to find the answer immediately. But that’s not true. The very act of asking the questions keeps us engaged with what we’re reading and thinking deeply about it.

2. List what you notice about God. 

Here’s a challenge for you: Read one chapter a day of a book of the Bible and make a list of things you notice about God. These could be new insights or things you already knew. It could be the effect God has on people or circumstances, or how He responds to events. What verbs are associated with God? What adjectives? 

It doesn’t need to be anything fancy; just make a point to list as many things as you can from that chapter. List the things you notice in a journal or on a piece of notebook paper. It’s amazing what you’ll see when you take this extra step of intentional noticing. 

3. Write it out. 

I once took the time to write out all the letters in the New Testament. Each morning, I would copy a chapter from the Bible, word-for-word, into a lined journal. It gave me a chance to meditate on the chapter at a slower pace. It helped me pay attention to the words more as I focused on correctly writing out the chapter. 

This is one of my favorite ways to slow down in my Bible reading and take in what I’m learning. And it’s hands-on, so it prevents me from falling asleep and keeps my mind engaged. 

After I write it out, I often go back to my Bible and mark some things I noticed while I was writing. Then I talk to God about it all. 

4. Make a list. 

I make lists for all sorts of things as I read my Bible. I once kept a running list of all references to famines and how they affected the characters in those stories. Other times I’ve made comparative lists between people (like Mary and Martha, or John and Peter). Sometimes I make lists of key phrases in a book (like “Truly, truly I say to you” in the book of John).

If you’re struggling to keep track of what’s happening in the book of the Bible you’re reading, try making a list of the events in your journal. Or if you notice that something is repeated, make a list. It’s amazing how helpful this simple trick is. 

5. State the obvious. 

In the side of my Bible, you’ll see lots of notes. Most of my notes aren’t profound; they’re usually stating the obvious. When it says King Ahaz reigned for 16 years, I write “Ahaz’s reign: 16 years” in the margin. In Luke 8:2-3, there is a list of women who traveled with Jesus. So in the margin I wrote, “Women with Jesus” and listed their names. 

It’s not rocket science. I’m literally rewriting or summarizing what was said in the passage. But that simple practice has helped me remember so much more of what I read in my Bible. And I am able to remember where things are in my Bible better. All because I took the time to note it in the margin. 

6. Recall what you read. 

Make the most of your Bible reading by thinking on it throughout the day. Even if you only have a few minutes to read the Bible, recall what you read. I usually do this when I’m running errands or doing dishes. It takes me a minute or two to remember, but eventually it hits me: Oh yeah, it was about Micah and the priest he hired (see Judg. 17). 

Next, I try to remember as many details as I can and spend time pondering the passage by asking the questions that weren’t answered in my reading. So Micah stole money from his mom … why is that significant? Why didn’t his mom seem upset? Why is this story in the Bible? I’ll think on the passage for as long as I have dishes to do, errands to run, and kids who aren’t interrupting me. 

The practice I’ve just described is called meditation. It’s something the Bible encourages us to do. Meditation is simply mulling over and reflecting on an idea, a thought, or a passage for a length of time. Turning it over in your mind and looking at it from different angles. 

7. Just keep reading. 

Reading your Bible should be a lifelong habit in which you grow more familiar with it over the years. The Bible is not a book you read once and aim for mastery immediately. There’s no shortcut to Bible familiarity. You just have to keep reading it. Over and over again. It doesn’t have to be the Bible-in-a-year plan. Read at your own pace. Just keep doing it. Every day. 

The first time I read through Joshua there was a lot I didn’t understand and many things that made me uncomfortable or confused. Now, I’m currently reading Joshua (maybe for the sixth or seventh time) and things are much clearer. I see more details, more nuance, more order. And other parts of my Bible reading inform how I understand it. But it’s taken years of reading my Bible to feel this way. 

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Reading the Bible changes you. It is not a one-time read but a lifelong journey of knowing God. So don’t get discouraged, just keep reading. 

Just keep reading. 

Yes, just keep reading. 

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About Kelly Needham