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Learning how to study the bible was one of the things I struggled with the most when I became a Christian. My parents weren’t Christians and I was never taught how to read or study my Bible.

I took notes during sermons, I tried numerous Bible reading plans and still wasn’t getting anything deep from scripture. I was barely even understanding it.

Studying my bible for myself at the time was not a priority. Reading scripture was difficult and honestly, I didn’t see the value at the time. Using simple devotionals and listening to sermons at church was good enough for me then and I coasted on that for a while.

Now, I am not saying either of those things is necessarily bad. In fact, anything that turns your heart and mind toward Christ is wonderful. However, we cannot live off of the breadcrumbs of one-verse devotional books forever. Only when we learn to dive deep into scripture for ourselves do we get stronger in our faith and more committed to a life lived for Christ.

Once I learned how to study the Bible for myself, I began to understand Scripture and how to apply it to my life. My spiritual growth exploded and I found myself being excited to open my bible and get digging. My devotions were no longer an item on my checklist but the main event to my day.

If you are like me and struggle with studying the bible for yourself, you are not alone! These tips are a great way to help make the Bible come alive in your own life.

1. Follow a Plan

The first step to any successful endeavor is to have a plan and to stick to it. Schedule a time in your day when you can focus and are not rushed. Create a reading schedule that works for you or find one online. I usually dig into one chapter a day. If that chapter is especially long, then I break it up into 1/2 a chapter a day.

How much I read is not as important as how deeply I read. If I rush through a large chunk of scripture for the sake of a “plan” but get nothing out of it, that time was not used wisely. I learned this the hard way when I decided to do the Bible in a Year reading plan.

I was not very familiar with scripture and I found myself skimming to get through it and check it off my to-do-list. It took me 2 years and I only made it through about half before I finally gave up because I realized it wasn’t working, nor was it beneficial to my growth.

Find a plan that works for you and take the time to really understand it. The Bible in a Year reading plan is awesome and I will definitely try it again at a later time. However, it was not a good idea for my very first read through of the Bible. Go slower if you need to; God’s Word is too precious to be rushed through.

2. Focus Your Study

I also learned this lesson the hard way. Not only did I try to read the whole Bible in a year with little prior experience in studying scripture, but I also tried to do the New Testament and Old Testament combined plan. It prescribes one chapter of the Old Testament and 1/2 chapter of the New Testament together in a day. This bouncing back and forth was not a good idea for me.

When I started digging into just one book at a time, I found that my overall understanding was more clear. I recommend reading any book in the Bible this way for the first time.

Topical plans are great but focusing on just one book really deepens your understanding. When you later read through a topic based plan or see verses in isolation, they will resonate with you more and help you to create connections to other passages.

RELATED: 101 Free Bible Studies For Women

3. Plan Your Time

Making time for in-depth Bible study is not going to happen naturally. You will need to block the time off in your day.

Write it in your planner or calendar on your phone and set that time aside to get into God’s Word. Give yourself a time frame and get as far as you can with whatever passage you are reading. I usually study for 30-45 minutes a day.

Sometimes I get through whole chapters in that time, other times I only get through a few verses. It doesn’t matter as much how far you get, it is more important how deep you get.

4. Do Your Research

A little research before you begin anything can go a long way. The same is true when it comes to studying God’s Word. Look up some information on when the book was written, who it was written by and what was happening in that culture.

Take time to look up maps of locations and understand where the events in scripture are taking place. While you can read passages and books without doing any of this, having a deeper understanding of the context translates to a deeper understanding of God’s Word and His Character.

Study Bibles often have this extra information built into the pages with cross-references, language nuances, maps and context noted right on the pages. My first Bible was the Teen version of the Life Application Study Bible and I loved it.

5. Use Study Tools

If doing all of that research on your own sounds daunting, you can use one or more of the many resources that exist to assist you in understanding scripture. You can use a commentary for the passage you are reading through (the ones I use are from Blue Letter Bible), a guided study book or you can even purchase a study bible that comes equipped with research and commentary right on the pages.

Using a study Bible was my first introduction to reading about the context surrounding scripture; I loved having little notes that told me what a word was in the original language and where else it was used and the cultural norms surrounding a particular set of scripture. My favorites are the Life Application Study Bibles  I mentioned above. I used the student version when I was younger and now I have the Women’s version that I use as a study reference.

You can also find awesome guided studies on various books of the Bible at Proverbs 31 Ministries, the First 5 App, She Reads Truth, Well-Watered Women, Co. & The Daily Grace, Co.

6. Journal

One of my favorite bible study purchases thus far has been my journaling bible. It has been a total game-changer for me!

I do not usually do the artsy, drawing type of bible journaling you may see all over Pinterest. Instead, I use that space to journal notes, revelations, cross-references, etc. right in the pages of my bible. I highlight and draw arrows and circle words, note related verses, and write paragraphs of what the Lord is speaking to me through His Word.

In addition to my journaling bible, I utilize a quiet time journal created by Well-Watered Women, Co. when I want to expand further and to help apply the passage I am reading to my own life.

Journaling is one of my favorite ways to dig into God’s Word. It allows me to write out what I am learning and go back and see what God was teaching me each time I re-read a passage. I can take everything I am learning from scripture and put it in a concrete place.

7. Pray

I love my Give Me Jesus journal because it prompts prayer and stillness before and after I read through Scripture. Beginning and ending your quiet time with prayer is such an important step and is one I took the longest to implement in my own quiet time. I use to just jumped right into studying without taking the time to focus my heart on Christ.

Once I consistently began doing this, I saw such an improvement in my understanding and application of Scripture. Prayer primed my heart and mind to be sensitive to hearing from God.

You can read more about having a meaningful prayer life here!

8. Share It With Others

If God is working in you and teaching you as you read, share that with others! Share it on social media (where appropriate), talk about it with your friends and your families, and discuss what you are learning with your spouse. Discussing passages with others can help you to make even more connections to Scripture because this requires you to explain it in your own words.

As believers, we should encourage one another with what we learn from our own studies. One of the best ways to help someone create good habits is to show them what it looks like to live them out.

Sharing what God teaches you is a wonderful way to inspire and encourage someone else. Don’t keep it to yourself!

What tools are you using to study your Bible? Is this an area where you struggle? Tell me about it in the comments!

Your Sister In Christ,