How to Avoid Distractions in Your Daily Bible Devotional Time
Recently I created a poll on Facebook asking a question about hindrances to our daily bible devotional time.
The question was….
What’s your biggest struggle when trying to study the Bible?
I was not surprised when I saw that the #1 response was…. Distraction.
Isn’t that an issue for all of us?
We want to read the Word. We know how valuable it is.
When we’re done spending time with God, even when it’s just 15-20 minutes, our souls are refreshed and we are prepared for the day.
But there are so many things vying for our attention …. our kids “need to eat right then”, our pets decide it would be a great time to snuggle or our minds get plagued by the 5000 things we need to get done that day.
Ok, those are my distractions =)
But regardless of what yours are, here are a few things you can do to help eliminate some of the distractions, so you can spend the precious time with God that you really desire.
How to Avoid Distractions in Your Daily Bible Devotional Time
Pray Before You Start
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of prayer before spending time with God.
I truly believe that not all distractions are natural.
Have you ever noticed how it can be completely silent before you pull out your Bible and then all of a sudden 500 distractions show up?
John 10:10 says that the enemy comes to “steal, kill and destroy”. The enemy would love to steal our time away from God.
Why?
Because faith comes by hearing the Word. And change comes by applying it to our lives.
When we spend time with God, we are filled with the truth.
Lies are exposed, mindsets are broken and we recognize what is rightfully ours as heirs of Christ!
Our time with God is valuable, so praying for protection over it is not just beneficial, but crucial.
Find a Quiet Time
Busy schedules and loud houses can totally seek to dominate our time with God, so finding a quiet time may seem burdensome. But here are few ideas for making time:
- When the kids are napping
- On your lunch break
- After everyone has gone to bed
- Early before anyone wakes up
I like to do it before everyone gets up because that is when my house is the most quiet. I’m an early riser and my kids like to sleep in, so this makes it perfect for me to have my devotional devotional time in the mornings.
But that may not work for you. And that’s ok!
It’s less about what time of day, but simply making the time that is important.
Silence the Electronics
This is a big one for me. With all the notifications from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, emails…..it’s no wonder we can get distracted!!
I have learned to silence the notifications in order to quiet my mind and prepare my heart for my Bible devotional time.
You can do this a few ways:
- Turn your phone on silent (you’ll still get the notifications, but you just won’t hear them)
- Turn on airplane mode (when you do this, it will hold all of your notifications until you turn it back off)
- Shut down your phone all together
- Place your phone in a different room
The key here is limiting the distractions from your phone!
Grab a Notebook or Sheet of Paper
My #1 source of distraction, and I’ve heard this from many others, is the dreaded to do list.
It never fails.
The minute I sit down for Bible devotional time, I will think of every.single.thing I have to get done that day.
It leaves me unsettled and distracted because I’m worrying that I will miss something important.
So, I came up with a system. I got a pen and paper and started brain dumping.
What is brain dumping?
It’s a method of getting things out of your mind and on paper so your mind can rest from the to do’s.
While I’m reading the Word, if I think of a task that needs to be done, I simply jot it down on my paper and continue on with my devotion.
This has helped me so much!! It sounds so simple, but I promise you, it will help you stay focused during your Bible time.
Have a Plan for Your Bible Time
Having a plan makes a HUGE difference in a successful Bible devotional time with God. When I show up for church, they have everything prepared for me to receive the Word.
—> Worship
—> the Word
—> pens to write with
—> a guided sheet to take notes on
I am fully prepared to listen and receive. Our quiet time can be enriched by a guided plan too!
Perhaps this is where you are lacking.
I would love to help you with this.
A few years ago, I was looking for a way to stay consistent in the Word. I looked at a bunch of different options, but didn’t find anything that I truly loved that was sustainable.
So I created a plan.
I developed a monthly Bible Reading plan based on specific monthly topics in areas that I really wanted to grow in. I started to see some really cool things happen.
- Consistency in the Word was easier for me because I had a set plan
- I had a better understanding of the scriptures on that topic because I spent a whole month studying them
- I began to flourish because I was getting intentional about the areas I wanted to see growth in
If you are looking for the same results, I encourage you to head on over and grab this limited-time offer on 12 Monthly Bible Reading Plans today!
Hello alisa, the tips you share are what I find useful as well in my study of the word. For me I have to do in the morning when it’s quiet as well. I didn’t know of the brain dumping one and it sounds like a great idea and one I will try. Although for me what I usually do when I come to study the word and those things trys to come, I aply the blood of Jesus over my mind, eyes and ears against any distraction the enemy will brings and that usually keep my mind focus. LOve your website too, your post are not cluttered as some bloggers are with way too many ads or pictures that becomes a distraction itsself from the post they write and for me sometimes trns me off from reading it all to gether. have a great day.