9 Ways to Make Time for Bible Study When You’re Busy

Long ago, when I first started this blog, this post about nine ways to find time for Bible study when you’re busy was part of a series called 31 Days of Hope for Moms.

I think it still applies to moms, maybe now more than ever, so I hope you’ll glean from it some ways to use your time well as a Christian mom when it comes to studying God’s Word! I’m cheering you on!

How many minutes do I have each day to read the Bible or do devotions? None. That’s right, a big fat zero.

At least that’s how I see it.

I’m sure it wouldn’t take long for you to think of the ginormous amount of things that need to get done during each day in your home. Tasks and responsibilities that carry over into the next day, most likely.

We never really “have time” for anything, do we?

Sadly, but not unexpectedly, my lack of time spent in the Word leaves me spiritually dry. Struggling along, day after day, with no resources to draw on when I need help, except my own bullheaded persistence, when it comes to mothering my little ones, organization, my anger and exhaustion.

Sure, I get through the day, but it typically feels more like I’m slogging along with a 100 lb weight attached to each ankle than having an enjoyable time spending the day’s hours with a spring in my step.

Maybe you’re a mom like me who feels distracted from the first moment she wakes up in the morning and can’t nail down a time to consistently pray or read the Scriptures. It leaves us spiritually struggling, doesn’t it?

How we feel when we’re not in the Word:

• Discouraged
• Disappointed
• Hopeless
• Mentally exhausted
• Exasperated with ourselves and our kids
• Distrustful of God

I know I should read the Bible, I know I learn and grow and have a much better attitude when I make it my first priority, but seriously, is there really any way to find time for devotions when I’m so super busy?

Growing up, I didn’t really have any disciplined Bible study time for myself. I wish that was a habit I had gotten into, but all I can do is go forward and “begin anew.”

If we truly desire to spend time in the Word, we honestly have to make time for it.

Just like we make time to watch our favorite TV show or do the laundry or make a new recipe. 

How to Make Time to Read the Bible as a Busy Mom

I want to share 9 ideas to help you find time for Scripture reading and Bible study! They are all methods I have used at one time or another throughout the past 8 years since I became a mom.

{Psst….there is one common tip that you will NOT find in this list!}

But before we begin, there a  couple of really helpful things you can do first to ensure that you will be making this change successfully.

• Pray and ask the Lord to lead you in choosing the best method and time of day for your study. It may change depending on your season of life! Know that Satan will try to distract you from spending time in God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to “check” you when this happens.
• Take a time inventory. Figure out what you’re wasting time doing during the day. If you’re browsing Pinterest at 10 pm, maybe that would be a good time to choose for Scripture reading. Or perhaps you are scrolling through Facebook on your phone while you feed your baby in the middle of the night. That’s a great time for the Bible instead! :)
• Pick a time and set an alarm on your phone or clock if necessary to remind you each day. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit–I think for moms it takes much longer than that! Samsung Galaxy to the rescue ;)

Here we go – 9 ways to find time for Bible study when you’re busy!

1) Make Bible study a priority.

This involves literally setting aside a chunk of time devoted to this practice.

If this feels impossible, try these steps for prioritizing time in God’s Word:

1. Sit down and take a time inventory of your day.
2. Figure out times that doing devotions WON’T work. Some times are obviously non-negotiable, like work or school hours.
3. Evaluate times during the day where you might find yourself wasting time. For example, I have a hard time getting going in the morning–I’m very slow to wake up. This means I need to develop a better morning routine so that I can be more efficient in starting my day, opening up more time for spiritual things! Maybe there are times during the day that you are mindlessly scrolling through your phone. Could that be a hidden opportunity for Bible study? :)
4. Find different tactics to help make Bible study a purposeful daily practice. This may mean setting an alarm on your phone, writing yourself a post-it note and putting it on your bathroom mirror or having your spouse be your accountability partner. Remove things that are stumbling blocks.

**Make the most of the time by using a method such as the Inductive Bible Study Method, which was introduced by Kay Arthur and is laid out in a book she co-wrote with her husband, “How to Study Your Bible“.

From Amazon: “In 15 easy-to-understand chapters, the authors present a systematic approach that includes key words, context studies, comparison and contrasts, topical studies, and more.”

We went through this book and used this system in Bible college and it was incredibly helpful and really taught me a deeper amount about the Scriptures even when I had limited time to read.

But really, you can just pick a book of the Bible to start reading, such as Psalms. I have a free reading plan that gets you through the Psalms in 90 Days (At the end of the post you can subscribe to get it delivered to your email!) ;)

2) Find a “Meaningful Moment” for God’s Word

Let’s say a large chunk of time is not possible each day. Another great way to find time for the Bible is to create a “meaningful moment”!

Read it on an App on your phone or tablet if you are waiting to pick up your kids from soccer practice, feeding and rocking the baby or in the waiting room!

Need a reading plan? Instead of opening Facebook, open up the YouVersion Bible App!

This app has tons of translations of the Bible, very simple reading plans, videos and the ability to bookmark verses. This is what I used daily when my fourth child was a tiny baby and I spent much time feeding her, making it awkward to hold the physical Bible in my lap!

3) Listen to an audio Bible.

How blessed we are that the word of God can be read to us while we do dishes, play with our kids or exercise {you know, when you have time for that}!

You can find audio Bible resources at BibleGateway.com and also the King James at AudioBible.com. Our family has often listened together to the ESV Audio Bible from Logos. You know who would have the BEST voice for narrating the audio Bible? James Earl Jones :)

4) Memorize Scripture. 

It’s great to know God’s Word so that verses can be brought to mind even if the Bible isn’t right in front of us.

A couple of ways I’ve made use of this method in the past is to Google phrases like “12 Bible Verses of Giving Thanks” or “10 Bible Verses for Trusting God” and then printing them out and posting on my fridge or my bathroom mirror.

Then I can read them, think on them and memorize these truths. It really does work, little by little, over time!

5) Learn Scripture WITH your children.

Slightly different than number four, this time you are actually learning the same verses together. Learning some of the essential Bible verses with your kiddos is just as profitable as memorizing Scripture by yourself!

I once read the comment that if we only have time to read the Bible with our children, it does not promote “advanced study” or give us enough “meat” of the Word. Why not? It isn’t a loss at all to relearn verses you may already know and it is a joy to see your children come to know them as well.

My mini Scripture learning curriculum for young kids, “God’s Word in My Heart“, includes among other things, printable A-Z Bible verses and also verses about sin and salvation that you can memorize with your children! It comes in ESV, NASB, KJV and a “Variety Version”.

Click HERE to get your copy!

6) Display Scripture around your house.

I love seeing how people “decorate” their homes with Scripture! Grab some favorite Bible verses and find a way to feature them on the inside of your bathroom cabinet, on a wall or on a desk. The possibilities are really endless with this one. You can get as creative as you want or just keep it simple.

Here’s a great idea!

7) Choose a time to do family devotions together each day. Even if it’s a short time!

That way, even if you don’t have time for your own personal study at least you are able to spend some time reading the Bible with your family! This is how we got started doing devotions in our own home. You can learn Scripture as a family with these character cards, find a solid devotional or just go through a book of the Bible and pray together.

8) Join an online Bible study group

In the past, I’ve enjoyed both Hello Mornings and Good Morning Girls. It’s great for accountability, even if you don’t do your Bible reading that is assigned for the day in the morning ;) Better yet, join an in-person study at your church!

9) Find a Bible reading plan that sticks.

I think part of my problem with consistent devotions is that I sometimes don’t know where to start reading and then I just waste the precious time I have flipping around and not actually reading anything!

Bible reading plans are available on Bible apps, but another very helpful resource is the website OneYearBible Online. It gets you through the entire Bible in 365 days! You can also purchase many Bible versions from the One Year Bible that are actually divided into a 365 day reading plan {ESV, KJV, etc}. Some people don’t like this method as they feel it breaks the text up too much but if it helps you to dig into the Word, go for it! My grandmother actually read the Bible through three years in a row using this plan, learning so much each time.

I also have created a resource you can use for daily time in the Word!

Write Through the Word is a monthly Scripture writing plan I created especially for busy moms, helping you get in the word on specific topics each month, even if you only have 5 minutes a day right now!

Learn more about our current Scripture writing plans and program by clicking the photo above or clicking HERE!

Some other helpful posts:

5 Tips to Make Your Prayer Life Stronger

5 Ways to Organize Your Prayer Time

The Best Way to Start Reading the Bible as a New Believer

I want to point out that I’m still not always consistent with my Bible study and prayer time. My self-discipline comes and goes depending on the season of life I and my family are in.

But thankfully God is so gracious to us. He calls us to “meditate” on His word and when we seek His guidance on when to best to that, the Holy Spirit will give us the time we need and will bless that time as well! Keep pressing on, friends!

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

So, which tip didn’t you see that you normally do on suggestions for finding time to read the Bible? If you guessed, “get up earlier than your kids”, you’re right!

Honestly, this may be possible with older children, but when you have tiny babies, it can be REALLY hard to get up early and do devotions on your own (because often little ones are already up early!).

That’s why I prefer to offer suggestions to build time in God’s Word into your day, when you’re already on the go or when you’re spending time with your kids.

Doing this is really also a great way to set an example for your children, when they see you making the Bible a priority–at any time of the day!

I know you can do this!