Why Do We Get Bored With the Bible and How Can We Make It Engaging Again?
In today’s modern world of high-action movies, binge-worthy shows, and social media feeds packed with humor and visuals, reading the Bible can sometimes feel like a chore. Depending on the translation, the language may seem archaic or hard to understand. The stories often stick to the bare facts, far too concise for us to get lost in the way we do with a novel. And at first glance, it may seem like just words on a page—nothing like the multimedia, visually stimulating content we enjoy every day.
Is there any hope?
Let me share a story with you.
The Lunch Appointment: Struggling to Stay Engaged in Bible Reading
Jeff was running late for lunch with his friend, John. After parking his car and nearly sprinting to the restaurant, he was relieved to spot John sitting at their usual table by the window. Sliding into the seat across from him, Jeff began apologizing profusely. But John just smiled and closed the book he had been reading.
“Don’t worry. I used the time to read.”
Jeff glanced at the book, then looked back at John with raised eyebrows. “You were reading the Bible? Here?” He glanced around to see if anyone was watching.
Still smiling, John replied, “Of course. Why not?”
Jeff flushed a little. “Well, I mean… I guess it’s alright. But isn’t this hardly the right place or time?”
John’s smile faded and he looked confused, glancing around the restaurant. “Well, maybe it’s a little noisier than my room.”
Just then, the waiter stopped at their table, ending the discussion for the moment. After the waiter left with their order, John noticed Jeff studying both him and his Bible.
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
Jeff’s Problem: Why Bible Reading Feels Boring
“Yeah,” Jeff admitted. “You know I’m a Christian and all. I read my Bible most mornings—at least a chapter a day. But why would you want to read it any other time of day? It’s not like it’s riveting prose. Besides, once you’ve read it through once or twice, you know what it has to say. There are no more surprises.”
John stirred his drink thoughtfully. “When was the last time you got a letter from your fiancée, Tina?”
Jeff broke into a wide grin. “Just yesterday. She’s so far back in the jungle on her research expedition that she can only get a letter out every other week, if she’s lucky.”
John smiled. “Do you keep her letters?”
“Every one of them,” Jeff replied without hesitation.
“Do you ever read them over again after the first time?”
Jeff nodded solemnly. “Yeah, sometimes I sit down and read them all in one sitting. It helps me feel close to her, almost like she’s sitting across from me and we’re talking.”
Suddenly, he stopped and squinted at John. “Wait a minute,” he exclaimed. “I see where you’re going with this. But the Bible is not the same, John. It’s just a collection of old stories and sermons from two thousand years ago. It’s not like Tina’s letters—which are personal and written to me in modern English. Reading the Bible makes me sleepy. Tina’s letters don’t.”
The Analogy: Reading Scripture Like a Love Letter
John laughed. “Okay, okay. But let me ask you this—if you didn’t know Tina very well, do you think her letters would be as interesting to you? I mean, what if your friend Tom read you the letters from his girlfriend? Would you find them as meaningful?”
Jeff groaned. “Man, he has read me some of her letters. They’re so boring. I finally had to tell him they were too personal and he needed to keep them to himself. But he still reads them all the time.”
“Exactly!” John pointed his finger at Jeff for emphasis. “It’s your relationship with Tina that makes her letters so fascinating. That’s why you have no problem reading them over and over again.”
Jeff frowned. “So are you saying I’m not a Christian? Like I don’t have a relationship with God?”
John Shares His Struggle with Boring Bible Reading
John held up his hand. “Hear me out.” He sighed, lowering his hand. “Listen, I know what it’s like not to enjoy reading the Bible. I struggled with that for most of my life. I knew I needed to read it—it was ‘the Christian thing to do.’ But honestly, I found it boring. I used to force myself to follow those Bible reading plans, but if I started in Genesis, I rarely made it past Leviticus.”
Jeff groaned. “I know. I’ve never made it through Leviticus either.”
“And if I started in the New Testament, I usually ran out of steam by the time I got through Acts.”
Jeff laughed. “That’s because that’s where all the exciting stories end and the sermons begin.”
John nodded. “I suppose so. But even when I was reading the stories, I had a hard time keeping my mind from wandering. Often, I’d reach the end of a chapter and realize I had no idea what I’d just read.”
Looking down, John chuckled self-consciously, then continued. “And honestly, I used to keep my Bible by my bed at night. If I couldn’t sleep, I’d start reading—and it usually put me out within twenty minutes.”
Jeff looked surprised, then laughed too. But his face grew serious. “Okay. So what changed?”
What Changed? Discovering a New Way to Read the Bible
John looked down at the Bible thoughtfully and ran his finger along its edge. “To tell you the truth, it wasn’t just one thing. It was a lot of things together that made the difference. But over time, those changes made the Bible come alive for me. Now I cherish it like you cherish your letters from Tina.”
Jeff studied John’s face for a moment. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You actually enjoy it?”
John nodded, a slow smile curving his lips. “I look forward to reading my Bible now because it feels like having a conversation with God.”
Jeff leaned back in his chair. “Okay. Okay. Now I’ve got to know what your secret is! Having a conversation with God would definitely take the yawn factor out of Bible study.”
Have You Ever Felt This Way About Bible Study?
Let’s leave John and Jeff to their conversation, and let me ask you:
Have you ever felt like Jeff? Do you ever wonder:
Why do I get bored when reading the Bible?
I know I certainly struggled with this. For years, I read the Bible because I was supposed to, but I had a hard time connecting it with my life in the 21st century—let alone letting God speak to me through its pages. I respected Scripture and wanted it to shape me, yet so often it felt distant and disconnected.
The language felt archaic. The stories were so condensed that it was often hard to identify with the people or to make a connection between their lives and mine.
Numbers and Leviticus were so dry that I could never get through them. Paul’s writings seemed so convoluted that I thought you had to be a theologian to understand them. And don’t get me started on the minor prophets!
But things have changed for me, just like John.
Building a Relationship with God Through Scripture
Why is it so hard for me to read the Bible?
Sometimes the biggest obstacle is not our desire but our approach. If Bible reading feels confusing, outdated, or overwhelming, it’s natural to struggle. But the good news is that Scripture was meant to be alive and personal. When we approach it with the right mindset—and with God’s help—it becomes an engaging encounter with Him.
Before I share the tips I’ve learned for turning Bible reading into an engaging encounter with God, let me highlight a couple of prerequisites.
Like John in the conversation above, I’ve discovered that the key to truly enjoying the Bible is to develop a relationship with its Author. (For more on this, see Why It’s Important to Read the Bible and Pray Every Day.)
The Bible is the most direct way we can get to know God. So when you’re reading it during your devotional time, focus on Him—on getting to know who He is. Pay attention to His likes and dislikes, His passions, His attitudes, and His character traits—just as you would when getting to know a new friend. (For more on this, see Getting to Know God: The Deeper Purpose of Bible Study and Prayer.)
Practical Tips for Turning Bible Reading into a Conversation with God
1. Commit to spending time with God daily, with the goal of getting to know Him.
Central to being able to read the Bible the way John read Tina’s love letters is committing to spend time daily in the Word. Relationships grow through consistent time together. In the same way, your friendship with God deepens when you choose to meet with Him every day.
This isn’t about following a rigid plan or keeping up appearances—it’s about showing up to be with Him. Think of it like dating: you don’t carve out that space because you have to, but because you want to—because you value the relationship and long to draw closer.
When you approach the Bible with that mindset, the emphasis shifts from simply finishing a reading plan to listening for God’s heart. Over time, those daily moments add up, and you’ll find yourself knowing Him more personally, enjoying His presence more deeply, and cherishing His Word like John cherished Tina’s letters.
2. Before you begin reading, ask God to speak to you through the Bible.
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned, just as 1 Corinthians 2:14 says:
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
If we want to understand the Bible and truly connect with God while reading it, we must pray for the Holy Spirit to help us. He not only gives us understanding but also speaks to our hearts through what we read. Jesus promised in John 14:26:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Don’t read the Bible without sincerely praying for the Spirit to open your mind and heart. Ask Him to tune your spiritual ear so you can hear when He speaks.
3. Believe that God wants to speak to you through His Word.
Many Christians believe that the Bible is the only way God speaks to us. While it is His primary method, it isn’t the only one. God also desires to speak directly to our hearts—to guide, to correct, and to encourage us in our daily lives.
Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD.
Isaiah 30:21 promises, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.”
And in John 10:27, Jesus assures us, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
God wants to speak to us, but if we don’t believe He will, we won’t be open to recognizing His voice. If we’re not listening with expectancy, how can we hear His “still small voice”?
Hebrews 11:6 reminds us: “For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
After you’ve prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide you, trust that He will.
4. Focus on one passage, story, or verse in your Bible study.
Don’t rush through a chapter, say a quick prayer, and then head into your daily routine. Instead, focus on a smaller portion of Scripture—a single passage, story, or even just one verse.
Most Bibles break chapters into smaller sections with subheadings. Start with one of those sections. Reading whole chapters introduces too many ideas at once to be able to focus and clearly grasp any one in particular. Narrowing your attention to a single portion gives you the time and space to dig deeper and discover the message God has placed there for you.
5. Meditate on your selection of Scripture.
I know the word meditation has received a bad reputation in recent years, but there is a distinctly biblical kind of meditation that God intends for us to practice.
Joshua 1:8 says: This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.
Psalm 1:2 adds: But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
So what is biblical meditation? Let me explain it with an everyday example.
When you eat, how do you get the most nourishment and enjoyment from your food—by swallowing it whole or by chewing it well before you swallow?
Of course, you have to chew it. Chewing allows you to taste the food, and it also helps your body digest it properly.
The same principle applies to Bible reading. If you want to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8), you must take time to “chew” on what you read before you swallow it.
Simply reading straight through a chapter or two, praying quickly, and rushing off to work is like swallowing your food whole.
But taking time to reflect on the passage, to think about what it means, to seek a deeper understanding, and to listen for God’s voice through it—that’s the spiritual equivalent of chewing before you swallow.
Conclusion: Turning Bible Reading Into a Conversation with God
If you want to turn your Bible reading time into a life-giving conversation with God, remember these simple steps:
- Commit to spending time with Him daily, with the goal of truly getting to know Him.
- Pray for Him to speak to you.
- Believe that He will.
- Focus on one passage, story, or verse.
- Meditate on what you read.
All of these practices create space for God to speak to you. But of them all, meditation is especially essential. That’s why I plan to use my next blog to explain biblical meditation more fully and to share practical tips for doing it effectively.
Like anything worthwhile, this takes time to develop. Don’t expect to hear God’s voice overnight just because you tried these steps once. You might—but learning to recognize His voice often requires patience.
For me, it took a lot of practice to learn how to meditate on Scripture and to pay attention to God’s still small voice at the same time. But I can assure you—it’s worth it. So be patient. Be consistent. And remember: you will reap what you sow.
If you’re longing for a more meaningful prayer life, I share practical steps for moving beyond distraction and engaging with God in my book Engaging with God: Journey from Pharisee to Disciple.
(All Bible texts quoted are taken from the New King James Version.)
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