Have you ever been in that position? You have your quiet time scheduled, and you are actually where you are supposed to be at the time you are supposed to be there! You grab your coffee, sit down to study, and then think – What do I do now?
I’ve been there. I’ve tried a lot of things to help me get started when I have no idea where to begin! Here are five ways I have found that have helped me regain focus and get me back in His Word.
1. Go over sermon notes and study out the verses.
Our minister reads – and references – a lot of verses during his sermons. I write down all of them. Even if they are just mentioned and I don’t look them up during the service, I know that Joel included them for a reason, and I should study them out later. This reminds me of the Beroeans who didn’t rely solely on what they heard ~
They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11
It’s not that I don’t trust what Joel has to say, but there are many times where something different has struck me while reading it at home, or more context has really helped me understand the passage better.
2. Pick up a daily devotional
Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, by Sarah Young, has been a go-to of mine if I am stuck and want an easy-to-follow plan. For each day of the year, there is a letter from God and relevant verses to study out. This has spurred many additional studies for me as well, so I have found it very helpful when I have been at a loss for what to study.
3. Read / Study a Christian Book
There are so many great books out there! I have a list of 10 that I want to start with, but there are a ton more! (Check out that list here.) If you have read those, or have different interests, ask friends, others in your bible groups, and your minister to see what they recommend. I know that if I went to church and asked five people what they were currently reading, I would walk away with five great options for what book to get next!
4. Listen to a sermon online
Our church posts the sermon each week. This is wonderful and is so helpful in case we can’t be there, or if there was something really impactful in the message and I want to listen to it again! Another series Brad and I have found is Truth for Life, with Alistair Begg. He is frequently broadcast on our local Christian radio station and has sermons and series on various topics. Brad and I had just started studying the book of James, and we found a great series on the website. There is also a Truth for Life app for our phones that has been very convenient as well.
5. Pick a book in the bible and start reading!
When Brad and I first started studying the bible (for real!) it was suggested we start reading the book of Mark. To me, that was unexpected. I’m not sure exactly why, but I had it in my head that IF I sat down to actually read the bible, I had to start with Genesis and read straight through Revelation. Now, I know people who have done, and are currently doing just that, but I hadn’t occurred to me to do it out-of-order! So, if you are really stuck, think about a specific verse and read the chapter – or even the whole book!
Your Thoughts?
Those are just five things I have done to help me when I have felt lost about what to study during my quiet times. I’m sure if I think some more, I can come up with even more! But, how about you? What do you do when you don’t have a plan for your studies? I would love to hear from you and get some more suggestions! I welcome new ideas as I have no doubt I will need to use some in the future!
