5 Ways to Deepen Your Bible Reading
Have you ever sat down with your Bible, a fresh cup of coffee in hand, and a heart ready to connect with God, only to realize five minutes later that you’ve been reading the same sentence about genealogical records while mentally adding “buy more laundry detergent” to your grocery list?
I have been there more times than I care to admit. Once, during a particularly quiet morning, I found myself so deeply distracted that I actually started wondering if there was a biblical Greek word for “espresso.” Spoiler alert: there is not.
At By Design Ministries, our heart is to equip and support women in leadership across New England. We know that as leaders, your output is only as healthy as your intake. To lead others toward the heart of God, we must be consistently drinking from the Well ourselves. Here are five ways to move past the grocery list distractions and truly deepen your time in the Word.
1. Context Is Your Friend
Before you dive into a passage, take a moment to look at the “neighborhood” it lives in. Who wrote this? Who were they talking to? What was going on in that place at that time? Understanding that the New Testament epistles were often letters written to specific churches facing specific messes is critical to understanding how the text applies to us today. When we understand the “why” behind the text, the theology becomes more clear. (Honestly, context is so important that someday I may write a blog series about it!)
2. Slow Down with Lectio Divina
We often feel pressured to “get through” a certain number of chapters. But what if we prioritized quality over quantity? Try the ancient practice of Lectio Divina: Read a short passage, meditate on a specific word or phrase that jumps out, pray through it, and then simply rest in God’s presence. It is like savoring a gourmet meal instead of rushing through a drive-through. Read more about Lectio Divina here.
3. Ask the “So What?” Question
Theology is not just for dusty library shelves; it is meant to be lived out in the homes and workplaces of New England. After you read, ask: “How does this truth change how I see God? How does it change how I see myself?” When we ask the “so what” question, we are inviting God to change us with his Word and help us apply it to our lives. Since we are created in the image of God and redeemed by Christ, the Word should constantly be shaping our identity. Read more about theological study as a spiritual practice here.
4. Use a Different Translation
If a passage feels overly familiar, try reading it in a different version. Switching from a formal translation to a more contemporary one (or vice versa) can wake up your brain and help you see a nuance you might have glossed over for years. If you haven’t yet, you may want to try the Amplified version. When Scripture is translated from the original languages into English, we sometimes miss the full meaning. The Amplified adds that range of meaning back into the text, helping us better understand the author’s intent.
Deepening your relationship with the Word isn't about achieving perfection or checking a box off your to-do list; it’s about making space for a transformative conversation with your Creator.
5. Pray the Text Back to God
God speaks to us through the Bible. Turning it into a conversation is one of the most powerful ways to connect. If you are reading a Psalm of lament, tell God where your own heart is hurting. If you are reading about the fruit of the Spirit, ask Him to cultivate the Spirit in you to have supernatural patience at your next staff meeting.
Deepening your relationship with the Word isn't about achieving perfection or checking a box off your to-do list; it’s about making space for a transformative conversation with your Creator. So, the next time you sit down with your Bible and your coffee, don’t be discouraged if your mind wanders toward your grocery list. Just gently pull it back, ask the “So What?” question, and invite the Holy Spirit to meet you there. Our God is present in the context, in the quiet, and in the application. Happy reading, sisters. May you find His Word to be more refreshing than even the best espresso.
Kristi Stoughton is the Associate Director of By Design. She is a native of New Hampshire, where she currently resides with her husband Brian in a little lakeside cottage. They take great joy in their two sons, daughter-in-law, and baby granddaughter. As a Christian speaker, Kristi has a passion for people to know God’s love deeply. She is an MDiv student at Fuller Seminary and is enjoying every minute. Kristi loves playing her guitar and singing on her church’s worship team as well as serving with her musical “sister chicks” as the worship team for women’s retreats and other events.