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Reading Through the Bible with Focus

As the new year approaches, I am filled with anticipation and excitement as I think about reading through the Bible. It is no small feat. Like most resolutions, it takes dedication and persistence. But, I have discovered that for me, dedication and persistence when reading the Bible aren’t really enough. I need focus. Over the last several years I have discovered a method that helps me to stay focused as I read through the Bible, which not only helps me to get more out of what I read, but also gives me a purpose beyond just reading.

My Bible Reading History

About fifteen years ago I read an article about the Bible and some of the shocking things that are in it. The article said that the Bible talked about rape, incest, adultery, murder, deceit, mass killings… I’m sure the list went on. I was surprised. I considered myself a Christian and had been attending church on and off for a few years, but I had never read the Bible before. Was it true that all of those things were really in such a Holy Book? There was only one way to find out… read it! I found a pamphlet that broke the readings down for me so that I could finish the Bible in one year. I have to admit that not only was I interested in seeing if the article was right, I wanted bragging rights. The Bible would be the longest book I had ever read. I don’t think I knew anyone else who had read the whole thing.

Although my motives weren’t exactly pure, I am pleased to say that I did read through the Bible that year. And yes, it does talk about all of the things I read about in that article. The Bible is a story about real people living real lives. They are not perfect, nor am I. The Bible doesn’t pretend that terrible things don’t happen. It lays everything out and says, “This is the reality that we live in. We live in a broken world and we are broken people.” Then it introduces Jesus, the Savior of the World, who will make everything right. All we have to do is believe. Now, I didn’t get all of that out of the first time reading through the Bible. It has taken me many years of maturing in my faith (and several more times through the Bible) to get that far.

What I did discover that first time is how hard it is to read. Many times, I was simply reading the words on the page while my mind drifted from one thought to another, not even really focusing at all. There are lists of names, and lists of numbers, and extremely detailed descriptions of laws, sacrifices, and buildings; There are really strange and confusing prophecies, visions, and parables. There are numerous battles, good kings, bad kings… it’s hard to keep it all straight! Although I was proud to have read through the entire Bible, I was not in a hurry to do it again.

About seven years later I was working at a job that was far from my house. I had a 60 mile round trip commute each day, and found the drive to be rather tedious. I enjoyed listening to audio books, but I spent so much time in the car, I blew through each one in no time at all. What I needed was a long book. So, I decided to try listening to the Bible. Once again, my motives were not very pure… just wanting something to help me kill time during my commute. I had the same problem as before. I liked listening to the familiar stories, but my mind would frequently drift, or I would be distracted by what was happening on the road and I didn’t take in very much.

After listening to the audio book, I again felt that I had had my fill of the Bible for a while. I didn’t really open it again until I took my first Bible study several years later. Through attending Bible study, I began to realize how relevant the Bible is for me today and I began to see it as a resource. I discovered that the Bible isn’t just a long book about Christianity, it is a guidebook for life. That was when I learned how to read through the Bible with focus.

How I Came Up With This Plan

Once I realized that the Bible is a treasure trove of wisdom, I decided to make up my own Bible study, seeking information that I desperately craved. I was a woman in my early thirties who had never experienced the loss of anyone close to me. This was a blessing for sure, but knowing that it would eventually happen left me terrified. How would I react? How would I feel? How would I cope? I had no idea, but I did know that there were people in the Bible who experienced great loss, and I could learn a lot from them. So, I decided to read through the Bible with a purpose. I would read it from cover to cover, searching for answers, comfort, hope, and peace about dealing with loss so that when this eventuality came about, I would be more prepared.

Again, I found a reading plan that led me through the Bible in one year, and every day I sat, with pen and paper, reading and seeking. I did not find things to write down every day, but that did not deter me. I had a purpose to accomplish. As I worked my way through the Bible I realized that having this purpose caused me to be more focused than when I had previously read/listened to the Bible. Part of it was that it was my third time through, I’m sure, but I also found that I was understanding more, and I was really getting a lot out of the time I spent in the Word.

At the end of the year, I had a notebook full of inspiration, comfort, peace, joy, and hope. It was absolutely amazing! I went through my notebook and highlighted my favorite verses, then carefully copied them into a smaller notebook that I could carry in my purse. Now, I have these wonderful scriptures with me at all times, so no matter what is going on, I can pick it up and find rest in the words of my God. I have experienced loss since then, and have also gone through some rough times. There have been times that I have read through my scripture notebook every day for weeks, reminding myself of God’s goodness and love, and it has helped me greatly.

It was shortly after creating my special little notebook that I realized how amazing this method of reading through the Bible was. I could choose any topic, and read through again, with a new focus, and get something completely different out of what I read! It wasn’t long before I chose some new topics and dove into the Bible again. I have now read through the Bible a total of six times and have notebooks full of amazing and wonderful things. I just finished again a few days ago and promptly moved my bookmark back to Genesis 1, ready for my next read through.

How to Read Through the Bible with Focus

There are two methods I have used that have really helped me to maintain focus while reading the Bible.

Method One: Focus Topic

This is what I described above. I chose a topic I wanted to learn more about (finding comfort, hope, and peace in the midst of loss) and read through the entire Bible with this focus in mind. I wrote down verses that spoke to me personally, and made notes when people in the Bible experienced loss, how they reacted, and how I can learn from their journey.

Pros: This method is so flexible, the topics can be anything! Choose something important to you, and after reading the entire Bible, you will have a treasury of very personal scripture verses.
Cons: It can really be hit and miss as far as how much of the daily reading is relevant to the chosen topic. Some days I had nothing to write down, other days I copied down entire chapters!

Method Two: Favorite Verses

Another thing that I tried and enjoyed was choosing one “favorite” verse from every chapter as I read, and copying that verse into a notebook. This method definitely increased my concentration as I read because I was constantly looking for an interesting or inspiring verse.

Pros: By the end, you will have a notebook of 1,189 verses hand-picked by you (one for every chapter in the Bible)! I liked the consistency of knowing how many verses I would be writing down each day.
Cons: It can sometimes be hard to choose a verse in certain chapters of the Bible, but even in the more “dry” chapters, I still made myself choose one!

Tips and Resources

  • I created my own Read Through the Bible in One Year plan. What I like about this plan is that it has readings five days each week, and two days off. This allows for some flexibility when things come up. Click below to download the PDF for FREE.

Bible in One Year

  • Although I prefer to read my physical Bible and hand write the verses in a notebook, there were definitely many times that I was just too busy, and instead completed my readings using the Bible app on my phone and marked the verses I liked with the “highlight” function.
    • The Bible app I use is FREE and it is from YouVersion: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
      Features include: many different versions (I use NASB), plans (including Bible in a year), audio (I have not tried this yet), highlighting, note taking, bookmarking, verse of the day, notifications, and more.
  • Aside from the above mentioned videos, I do not typically use any commentaries. I truly believe that God will bless me with the knowledge and understanding that He wants me to have as I read.

Focus Topic Ideas

I have a running list of ideas for focus topics that I am interested in studying as I read through the Bible, but really, the possibilities are endless.

Thank you for checking out my ideas for reading through the Bible with focus! I hope you are inspired to give it a try.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

~ Sarah ~

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