How to Make Time for Your Bible Study

30Days1JohnDay3ReasonsIf you’re struggling to find time to spend in God’s Word, here are some quick ideas to try: 

1. Take a serious look at how you’re using your time. Usually when we’re too busy to listen to what God has to say to us, we can be fairly sure we’re doing something we don’t need to be doing. God has given us enough time to do all that He has called us to.

    • Keep time log. What are you doing with your time? What do you make time for? Are there time-wasting activities you can eliminate from your schedule? What do you need to give up or cut back on?
    • Pray. Ask God to give you insight into how you can organize your time better.
    • Ask your husband for input. What does he see? Does he have any ideas for you?
    • Ask other friends and relatives for their input.

2. Reorder your priorities.

    • What’s really important to your children’s spiritual growth and well-being? What can you dump?
    • Are you trying to do things that would be better in a different season of life? (You only have a few years with your children. Make the most of them!)

3. Do you need to delegate? Are your children helping you? Teaching our children to help with household duties takes time initially, but it pays off in the long run. You get much-needed help with your work, and your children learn to do something they might not naturally care to do. They learn to take responsibility and to serve. You gain some time for feeding your soul in the Word.

    • Look online for lists of age-appropriate jobs for your children.
    • Young children can learn to set the table, fold towels and washcloths, and feed pets. Most can carry their plate to the garbage, scrape it, and put it on the counter.
    • Older children can empty the dishwasher, vacuum, dust, sweep floors, wash windows, pull weeds, and much more!
    • Don’t underestimate what your children can do! Our oldest was doing almost all our laundry when he was 5 or 6 years old, because I couldn’t go up and down the stairs to the basement.

4. Plan ahead for your Bible study time. If you’re prepared, you’ll be more likely to sit down and read.

    • Where would you like to study? In the bathroom? In the kitchen? How about the car, if you’re desperate for five minutes of quiet?
    • When would you like to study? It doesn’t have to be morning. What would work best for you? Work with husband. What other options might work? Naptimes, after dinner (while Daddy and the kids clean up the kitchen?), after kids are in bed?
    • Gather your study materials together in a basket for easy access. Use another basket for special toys that the children can only play with while you study.
    • Write out a specific plan of action. Word your plan in a way that will make it easy to tell if you have followed it or not.

For example, “I will study 1 John 3 for at least 5 minutes on at least 5 days this week and text Susan after I have finished each day.”

5. Adjust your expectations. We don’t want to give up on studying our Bibles just because we can’t spend a half hour studying in silence everyday. Five minutes of focused study is better than nothing! Pray for more, but take what you can get! 🙂

6. Pray! Ask God for the wisdom that only He can give, and for grace to make the changes necessary so you spend time with Him each day. 

For study guides that will help you stay focused and consistent in your Bible study, see the “Bible Study for Busy Mamas” series.
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