In today’s blog post, Nicky Johnson shares seven unique places to study God’s Word when you are short on time. Her sassy writing style and no-nonsense advice will have you searching for unexpected spaces and peculiar places to dwell on God’s Word this year. We also share exciting details about our brand new (and completely free) DWELL360 Bible Study and give you an opportunity to enter to win lifetime access to the Dwell Bible Listening App (a $150 value). Enjoy!
A Guest Post by Nicky Johnson
Remember the last time when you were bored because you had too much time on your hands?
Me neither!
Boredom would be a welcome change from all of the bruises and scraped knees, rushing to parent-teacher conferences, endless work meetings, and rainy-day soccer matches.
And in all of the busyness, our Bible study routine can really suffer.
We tell ourselves, “I’ll do my Bible study tomorrow.” Then ten tomorrows go by, and we still haven’t made time to dive into God’s Word.
So what’s a busy Christian woman on-the-go supposed to do?
We could say no more often.
We could limit our commitments.
But the truth is, we all have certain responsibilities, and abandoning them is not a realistic option (or a good idea).
Instead, we need to find simple and creative ways to fit Bible study into our busy lives.
And we need to find them STAT!
Instead of longing for hours of uninterrupted study, it’s time for us to begin searching for small pockets of time to spend in God’s Word as we go about our everyday lives.
Because we all know that spending time in God’s Word is the only way we’ll escape this season of life with our sanity intact.
Out of sheer desperation, I’ve identified certain moments (and places) where I can dwell on God’s Word when I am short on time.
7 Unique Places to Dwell on God’s Word Everyday
These are strange locations and curious circumstances that may not (at first glance) seem conducive to quality Bible study.
But the reality is, I had to start thinking outside of the box if I was ever going to figure out how to fit regular Bible study into my crazy life.
Oh, and you’ll need to keep an open mind as you read through my list. The most practical places for Bible study are rarely pretty.
1 – Dwell on God’s Word in the Bathroom
Don’t laugh! We all have to go sometimes, and it’s often the only place we are truly alone during the day.
When I had a bigger bathroom, I would keep a Bible in a magazine stand. Nowadays, I find it easier to take my phone to the restroom and access my Bible app.
Although it would be difficult to journal or take notes on the potty, that doesn’t mean you can’t take an extra couple minutes to read a few key passages of Scripture.
2 – Dwell on God’s Word at Work
If you’re like me, you only have a thirty minute lunch break. I feel like I barely have enough time to finish eating before my break is over.
By taking the time to write a verse on a note card in the morning and sticking it in your lunch sack, you will be able to “chew on God’s Word” as you chew on your sandwich.
And if you’re one of the lucky ones with an hour break, you could totally do a ten to fifteen minute Bible study during your lunch break.
3 – Dwell on God’s Word in Bed
I know this one is a bit obvious, but we can’t overlook the value of carving out time for God whenever (and wherever) we have a few moments to rest.
Imagine what an extra five or ten minutes of quiet time with God could do to improve the trajectory of your day.
I know it’s hard, especially if you have little ones or a spouse that is on a different schedule from you. Whether you decide to wake up a bit earlier or stay up a few extra minutes at night, remember that five extra minutes with Jesus is always worth the sacrifice.
4 – Dwell on God’s Word in Line
I know what you’re thinking.
You’re thinking “Ummm, say what? Does she want me to have a Bible study in the middle of Wal-Mart?”
YES! Yes, I do! Wherever you might be waiting in line, you can have a Bible study. Whether you’re at the DMV, or Target, or the drive-thru line.
Any of those moments when we have to hurry up and wait are moments we can be in God’s Word. We just have to be prepared and make the decision to spend time with God rather than scrolling through our social media feed.
Any of those moments when we have to hurry up and wait are moments we can be in God’s Word.
5 – Dwell on God’s Word in the Kitchen
I’m in the kitchen a lot! Washing, dishing, cleaning, cooking, eating —it’s a busy place. Believe it or not, Bible study can be done in the kitchen while we’re doing all of those other things.
Kitchen Bible study may not be the kind of study you crave, but remember, we are working to sprinkle short moments Bible study throughout our day.
All these mini-sessions are working in tandem with one another, and the result is truly transformative.
6 – Dwell on God’s Word in the Shower
Do you struggle to find time alone? One place that you’re probably alone is in your shower. But how do you do a study in the shower?
In Joshua 1:8 (NIV) it says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.”
The shower would be the perfect time to meditate on God’s Word, especially if it’s hard for you to find time alone. You can recite the Scriptures that you’ve been memorizing and not feel weird about talking out loud to yourself.
7 – Dwell on God’s Word in the Car
A great way to dwell on God’s Word in the car is to listen to a Scripture reading app or Christian podcast instead of the radio. It took me forever to recognize that I could repurpose my commute in this way, and really enjoy listening to Bible study podcasts in the car now. If you have kids in the car with you, you could try listening to the Bible for Kids podcast.
Bible study doesn’t have to only consist of reading, it can also involve listening, praying, reciting, or singing God’s Word!
When you make time to dwell on God’s Word in short, but frequent, sessions throughout the day, your whole life is infused with the truth.
For most women, several short study sessions throughout the day are more effective (and more practical) than a long session a few times a week.
Dwell in God’s Word All Year Long!
Sarah Koontz invites you to join her for “DWELL: 360 Days in the Word,” a free online Bible study that takes you on a guided journey through the foundational truths of Scripture. Together, we will establish a vibrant, life-giving 360-degree view of what God has done for us, what He is doing in us, and what He wants to do through us.
THE DWELL360 BIBLE STUDY WILL HELP YOU:
- Establish a consistent, manageable Bible study routine
- Discover who God is and who He made you to be
- Fill your heart and mind with the freeing truth of Scripture
- Diligently apply God’s Word to your daily life
- Recognize any teaching that distorts the Gospel
We know how intimidating it can be to commit to a year-long study, and we have done everything in our power to make this study simple, satisfying, and sanctifying. Each month of the DWELL360 Bible study, you will be introduced to a key truth from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Then, we will spend the rest of the month fortifying our biblical understanding of that truth by dwelling on one brief (1-2 verse) passage of Scripture each day.
Thanks to the generous donations of our Discipleship Team and our Support Team, this study is available for FREE to anyone and everyone who has a desire to establish a habit of dwelling in God’s Word this year.
You will receive a welcome letter (+ digital gift pack) after subscribing and the first devotional will arrive in your inbox within 24 hours. Don’t forget to invite friends! Bible study is always more fun with friends.
Which One Will You Try?
Remember thinking you were too busy to study God’s Word?
I do too! But now we both have a fresh perspective and access to engaging new tools to help us saturate our hearts in God’s Word wherever we are and whatever we are doing.
Of course, even with these resources, finding time to study will still be challenging. I encourage you to start by implementing just one of the ideas shared in this article.
As daily study becomes a regular habit, it will be easier to incorporate more of the methods one-by-one.
Before you know it, you’ll be dwelling with Jesus all day, every day.
Nicky Johnson
Nicky Johnson is an avid learner who loves dogs and plans her next trip while she’s on her current one. She is the creator and owner of Healthy As You Can, Christian Blogging Academy, and a certified life coach. Healthy As You Can (HAYC) is a lifestyle blog where she shares faith-based tips on how to improve your health, finances, mental well being, and walk with God, while fully acknowledging that she’s still in a work in progress in all of these areas. Connect with Nicky on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
