I enjoy getting away from everything. Whether it’s a couple of nights to see family (I don’t do overnights with an infant…I like at least one day where I’m not packing/ unpacking the house car!), a week-long trip with my bride, or just having a day at home where I can sleep in and go about my day with no plans; those moments are incredibly refreshing to me and help fuel me for whatever comes after them.
There’s just one big problem I find that I run into when I’m “off the clock”: it often means I’m “off my routine” as well.
That’s a challenge for me because I am a routine sort of guy. I love my to-do list. I get a thrill out of checking boxes and crossing things off. I feel like routine creates a framework, and where there’s a great framework something amazing can be built around it.
But take away that framework…and I feel a little lost.
And the first thing to often get thrown out of whack is my time with Jesus in His Word.
I experienced this over Labor Day Weekend. We took a trip to my parents and it was great. But if I’m being honest…my quiet times were kind of…not. I know that might be politically incorrect for a pastor to say, but it’s the truth. At least it was until the last day away. The final day of our trip, my time with God in His Word was incredibly refreshing and life-giving, and it made me wonder why the past few days had been really not-so-great…and even felt like I had wasted my time.
In thinking about that, God taught me five reasons why we can often feel like reading the Bible is a waste of time; why we don’t feel like we get anything out of it; why we can’t seem to get any momentum behind establishing that habit…and practical steps we can take to correct it and develop a quiet time that is rich, refreshing, and something we look forward to instead of just try to get through.
#1- Reading the Bible feels like a waste of time when it’s…irregular or “squeezed in”.
What I mean by irregular is this: you don’t really have it on a schedule. You don’t really have a set time or occasion during the day where you sit and read. It’s just kind of “I’ll get to it when I can.” You probably don’t read every day, but rather read sporadically throughout the week.
It’s hard to get much depth out of reading God’s Word when this is our way of doing it.
In fact…it’s difficult to even get around to reading God’s Word when this is our way of doing it. I’ve found that when we try to “squeeze in” reading the Bible, it almost always gets “squeezed out” by default.
Think of it like working out: if you go to the gym once every two weeks, it’s not going to do you much good. You’ll just make yourself sore. Not only that, it’s funny how, when we try to “squeeze in” a workout…it never actually seems to happen.
On the other hand, if it’s a regular thing- like 3 times a week and we put it on a calendar (or to-do list!)- that’s when you start to notice that we actually do it…and it makesa difference.
The same is true when it comes to reading God’s Word. Sporadic time in God’s Word doesn’t get you very far. But intentional, planned time in God’s Word changes us.
What to do about it: Establish a set time during the day (whether that’s an actual time or occasion, like lunch hour) that you commit to reading God’s Word.
#2- Reading the Bible feels like a waste of time when…you read too little.
I really do believe that the effectiveness of our quiet time depends on quality not quantity. Five minutes with no distractions and complete focus on God and His Word can be incredibly powerful.
At the same time…I do wonder if, on occasion, we work against our own growth by reading far too little in our time with the Lord.
If we’re only reading, say, one verse…or a 2-paragraph devotion with no actual Scripture…then it’s like eating an appetizer and departing before the main course. It’s not necessarily completely pointless…but there’s so much more that we leave on the table that would provide a richness and depth we won’t get otherwise.
We need to read enough to know context, background, and who the characters or the author is. When we only take a single verse or a couple of paragraphs in a devotion, we miss out on that.
Don’t get me wrong- I think things like YouVersion’s “Verse of the Day” and devotion books are awesome. But…I think they are meant to supplement and help, and perhaps get us started…but not be the primary thing we do or the sum total of our time with Jesus.
What to do about it: Commit to reading for at least 5 minutes each day. Setting a time instead of a number of verses allows for focus and meditation on God’s Word, but also will take you beyond simply one verse or what we tend to get in a devotion.
#3- Reading the Bible feels like a waste of time when…you read too much.
It is entirely possible to try to bite off way more than you can actually chew.
For some…trying to read the Bible in a year, while a great goal, is not the best practice for personal quiet time. If there’s too much to read, the focus becomes more on getting through the assignment than understanding and applying God’s Word.
That makes reading the Bible feel more like a burden than a joy- and it’s difficult to get anything out of it when you just want to get through it.
If you’re focusing more on how much you’re reading than in understanding and applying what you read…it’s time to make a change.
What to do about it: Focus more on understanding what you read than getting through the reading. As you read a verse, pause, take notes, and ask how to apply it.
#4- Reading the Bible feels like a waste of time…when we contaminate our time.
It’s difficult to come to God’s Word with a clear mind when we’ve already spent time filling it with other stuff.
On vacation…I checked Facebook first thing most mornings. And my quiet times were shallow and frustrating.
Once I stopped doing that…the change was unreal.
This is one of the reasons I’m a big proponent of reading God’s Word first thing in the morning. Nothing has started yet. I haven’t cracked open my email…and so my mind is clear to receive what God wants to teach me.
On the other hand, when I get a whole bunch of stuff in my head before I even get into God’s Word…I’m distracted, my mind is racing…and it’s hard for me to quiet my mind to focus.
At the same time, it’s not necessarily about time of day. It’s also about what’s around us when we are trying to read God’s Word.
- Is our phone on silent or “do not disturb”…or is it blowing up the whole time with texts?
- Is the TV on in the background?
- Are we in a distraction-free place where we can focus?
- Is my computer screen up and open to my email so I can see what’s coming in…even as I’m trying to read?
Reading the Bible may feel like a waste of time…not because we aren’t trying to read…but because we are contaminating our time with things that work against us.
What to do about it: Find a time and place to read where there are no distractions…and identify a time in the day that will allow you to read with a clear mind.
#5- Reading the Bible feels like a waste of time… when you “just read.”
If you want a great quiet time, you can’t just read God’s Word.
You need to meditate on it. Take notes. Chew on it. Pray about it. Think about how what you just read says about Jesus and what He wants you to do.
There’s more to a great quiet time than just reading the Word. We also have to take steps to meditate on what it says.
But here’s the thing: that takes time. It takes effort. It requires more of us.
But the payoff is huge.
What to do about it: The SOAP method can help tremendously here. As you read, pick a verse from what you’ve read. Take notes on it. Identify how you can apply what you’ve learn, and then write out a prayer about it.