How to build a daily Bible habit that lasts a month

Many people struggle to maintain daily Bible reading. That is not a character flaw. Sometimes the plan is too big, too vague or too dependent on having a perfect day, and a smaller, more specific plan can help.

Start smaller than you think you should

If your plan is “read the Bible every morning,” you may not have decided what to read, when, for how long or what to do on a rough day. Try this instead:

• Time: five minutes.
• Place: one chair, one spot at the table, or a regular moment in your day.
• Amount: a short passage or one chapter.

Aim for five minutes with a short passage. On especially difficult days, read one verse in context. On a good day you can read longer. The point of the five-minute floor is that a hard day still counts.

Attach it to something you already do

Habits can be easier to keep when they hang on something that already happens every day. Choose one anchor, such as:

• after you pour your coffee,
• right after you brush your teeth at night,
• your commute: listen to an audio Bible if you drive, or read if you ride as a passenger.

Say the plan in one sentence: “After I pour my coffee, I read one chapter and write down one line.”

Read to know God

The goal is not to finish a list. Read to know God and respond to his Word in faith and obedience. Ask him for understanding, consider the passage’s context, and identify an appropriate response (2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:22).

Choose what to read before you sit down

Deciding what to read is where many people stall. Here is a simple thirty-day path that needs no planning:

1. Days 1 to 7: the Gospel of John, one chapter a day. Read John 1 to 7. You can keep going in John afterwards.
2. Days 8 to 14: a psalm a day. Read Psalms 23, 27, 34, 46, 62, 91 and 121, one each day.
3. Days 15 to 21: Philippians. Read one of its four chapters a day on days 15 to 18. On day 19, read the whole letter in one sitting if you have time. On days 20 and 21, go back to the verse you liked best and read its chapter again.
4. Days 22 to 28: Proverbs, or a short devotion plan. Read a chapter of Proverbs a day (Proverbs 1 to 7), or follow a five-day plan in Devotions on days 22 to 26 and use days 27 and 28 to reread your favorite passage.
5. Days 29 and 30: look back. Read through the lines you wrote down, then choose one book to read next month, such as Luke or Psalms.

Switching between types of writing can keep the habit from feeling like a chore.

Write one line

Reading alone is easy to forget by lunchtime. After you read, write one sentence in a notebook or on your phone. It can be a phrase you liked, a question, or one thing you want to do about what you read. By day 30 you will have a short record of your own reading, which is encouraging to look back on.

If you miss a day

Decide in advance what you will do:

• Return at your next opportunity. If you miss one or several days, simply come back.
• You do not need to catch up. Read today’s passage, or resume where you left off.
• Keep the minimum. One verse in context counts.

Use a tool if it helps

Some people find a little structure motivating. On this site, the Verse of the Day gives you one passage and a short prayer in a minute, the Bible reader keeps your place and lets you follow a reading plan, and Devotions has five-day plans on topics such as peace, courage and forgiveness. Each one tracks your streak in your own browser, with no account.

A gentle reminder

A streak is a tool, not a measure of your faith. If you lose it, start again tomorrow. The goal is not an unbroken chain. It is a habit of coming back to God’s Word.