006 | When Reading the Bible Feels Hard
Lies I Believed and the Truth that Set Me Free
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Satan has used a ton of sneaky lies to keep me from opening my Bible. Can you relate? In this post, I’m sharing 12 lies I’ve believed about reading God’s Word and sharing the truth.
1. I need to read the Bible first thing in the morning
Truth: There is no perfect time to read the Bible.
The best time is the time you ACTUALLY read it! I used to set up the “perfect” morning routine only to feel like a failure when I slept through my alarm or started my day in a different way. Now, I try to set myself up for success with more sustainable habits.
2. I need to read the Bible right before bed
Truth: Again, there is no perfect time to read the Bible.
And thankfully, we have more than two options! By the time I’m going to bed, I’m completely drained. I like to find multiple touchpoints throughout the day. I read my Bible and journal after breakfast, listen to an audio Bible in the car, or read a chapter on my Kindle before diving into another book.
3. God’s love for me depends on how much I read the Bible
Truth: God loves you unconditionally.
I always knew God wouldn’t stop loving me, but for a long time, I thought I could somehow make Him love me more if I checked all the right boxes. But His love isn’t conditional! Knowing this has freed me to read the Bible because I want to—not because I have to.
4. Reading the Bible is a waste if I don’t get anything out of it
Truth: Time spent with God is always time well spent.
Some days, reading the Bible might feel dry, but that doesn’t mean it’s wasted time. I think about it like eating food. I might not always love every meal, but I still need to eat. God’s Word nourishes us, even when it doesn’t feel like a mountaintop experience.
5. I used to be a better Christian because I read the Bible more
Truth: Our closeness with God is not based on how often we open the Word.
Becoming a mom completely changed my time with God. Gone were the long, slow mornings of journaling and reading. For a while, I felt like I had lost something, but I’ve realized my faith is deeper now because I need God more. My time with Him may look different in different seasons, and that’s okay.
6. I don’t have time to read the Bible
Truth: We always have time for the things that matter.
I used to say this, but I’ve learned that for most things, it isn’t really a time issue—it’s a priority issue. If I catch myself saying, “I don’t have time,” I challenge myself to rephrase it as, “It’s not a priority right now.” That shift in wording is powerful.
7. I’m not ready to commit to a 30-day plan, so I shouldn’t start
Truth: We can show up with God today no matter what we can commit to for tomorrow.
I’m such an all-or-nothing person that if I can’t go all in, I don’t want to do it at all. But I’ve realized that I can just focus on reading the Bible today—without worrying about yesterday or tomorrow.
8. The verses I see on Instagram or devotionals are enough
Truth: We need to be opening the Word of God and planning to go deeper with Him.
I love a good verse-of-the-day, and I’m grateful those exist in busy seasons. But if that’s my only source of Scripture, I’m missing out. We need deeper time in God’s Word—not just bite-sized encouragements.
9. I might misinterpret what I read, so I shouldn’t bother
Truth: We have the Holy Spirit as our guide.
For a long time, I was afraid of getting it wrong. But I was forgetting something huge—we have the Holy Spirit as our guide! The cost of not being in God’s Word is so much higher than the risk of misunderstanding something and needing to be corrected later.
10. I can’t tell God I don’t feel like reading the Bible
Truth: God already knows your heart. You can tell Him how you feel.
This one is tough, but I’ve learned that when I bring my struggles to God, including my lack of desire to spend time with Him, it clears the air. He already knows my heart, and honesty strengthens my relationship with Him.
11. Reading the Bible should be hard
Truth: It is important to go slow and remain open to learning even in books we’ve read before.
I used to think I needed to read difficult books for my Bible time to “count.” But I’ve realized that I will never comprehend all the wisdom in books like Proverbs, no matter how many times I read them. All Scripture is valuable!
12. If I ask God to show up, He won’t do it
Truth: If you ask God to meet with you, He will.
If you’ve struggled with it too, I challenge you to pray for God to give you a hunger for His Word. I truly believe He will meet you there.
If any of these lies resonated with you, I think you’ll love my new devotional for moms, Bible Time Take Back. It’s a 21-day devotional designed to help you overcome common obstacles and take back your Bible time from the enemy’s clutches.
You can grab it in paperback on on Kindle over on Amazon.
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