Obstacle: I Do Not Have Enough Time
Feel like there is too much to do to have time for Bible study – here are three practical strategies to change that.
Listen to the conversation above, then read on.
Another common reason people give for not studying the Bible is that they feel they do not have enough time. If that thought has ever crossed your mind, you are in good company — and this post is for you. Below you will find three practical strategies that address this obstacle directly and give you a concrete place to start.
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Obstacle: I Do Not Have Enough Time
The Issue
Your days are full before they start. Between work, kids, household responsibilities, and the basic maintenance of a life, by the time everyone else’s needs are met there is nothing left. The idea of adding Bible study to that list feels not just unrealistic but a little cruel.
The time problem is real. But for most of us, it is not actually a time problem — it is a priority problem. That is not a criticism. It is simply true that we find time for the things we have decided matter most. The question worth sitting with is not ‘where will I find the time?’ but ‘have I actually decided this is essential?’
3 Strategies to Overcome This Obstacle
- Start with ten minutes, not an hour.Most people never start Bible study because they are waiting for a block of time that never comes. Ten minutes is enough to read a psalm, a short passage from a Gospel, or a chapter of Proverbs. Set a timer. Read. Think about one thing you read for the rest of the day. That is a sustainable practice, and it is far better than nothing.
- Protect one fixed time slot.Consistency matters more than duration. Pick one time each day that is genuinely yours — before the house wakes up, during a lunch break, after the kids are in bed — and protect it. Put it on your calendar like an appointment. A small amount of time you actually keep is worth more than a large amount of time you intend to find.
- Use dead time differently.Commutes, waiting rooms, lunch breaks, and the ten minutes before a meeting start are time most of us scroll through our phones. A Bible app like YouVersion lets you read or listen to Scripture in those gaps. You are not adding time to your day — you are redirecting time you already have.
Source: Adapted from Hendricks, Howard G., and William D. Hendricks. Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible. Moody Publishers, 2007.