5 Bible Study Tips When Your Mind Wanders

A guest post by Anna Moore

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You’ve just sat down in your spot. Your Bible is open. A fresh cup of coffee warms your hands. Your heart is ready to hear from God’s Word. What about when your mind wanders?

You make it a few verses into your reading, and then it happens. Your mind begins running through the day’s to-do list or down another rabbit hole that isn’t related to what you just read.

Distractions are everywhere—even in our minds. Staying focused on God takes intentional, ongoing effort.

Paul commands the church at Corinth to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). This is a command we need to follow today in our fast-paced, performance-driven society. We are human and we’re distracted easily, but God’s Word is what renews us and helps us set our minds where they need to be.

My hope and prayer is that we can renew our minds enough over our lifetime to be able to easily shift back to God and His Word. Here are 5 bible study tips when your mind wanders.

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5 Bible Study Tips For When Your Mind Wanders

Pray out loud….

“Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!” (Psalm 119:36)

Even the psalmist prayed for help keeping His focus on God. Praying out loud helps me stay focused on the Lord. Even whispering His name pulls me back in. Ask Him to give you a steadfast heart and watch how He directs you toward Him over time. Ask for His peace to guard your mind, and see how He calms your worries and anxieties.

Put your phone away…

My husband and I place our phones in a basket during dinner time so we aren’t tempted to pick them up while having intentional time together. The same practice is great during time spent alone with God. Turn it on silent and set it somewhere that is not within reach so you have to make an effort to get up and get it if you are tempted.

Set a timer…

Determine how much time you want to spend in God’s Word and set a timer. This sounds silly, but if your mind knows you have only that amount of time set aside to focus on this particular thing, it will help you stay on task.

Read aloud…

Just like praying out loud, reading God’s Word aloud can help you focus more on what you’re saying since it’s taking physical effort. Meditate on the words, reading as slow as you need, and repeat verses you want to reflect on. God values depth over speed so think through the words as you say them.

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Give yourself grace…

Just like food, God’s Word is best consumed when we chew on small portions (Ezekiel 3:3). By intentionally thinking about God’s Word day and night (Psalm 1:2), we shape our thoughts to align with Him. This is slow, deep work that happens over a lifetime, so give yourself grace when your mind wanders instead of focusing on God. Meet with Him right there again tomorrow and try again. The aim is to finish well (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Though distractions will come, we know God’s Word sustains us (Matthew 4:4). He has equipped us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8)—we just have to practice.

Anna Moore lives in West Virginia with her husband, Blake. A journalist for many years, Anna enjoys sharing her love of Jesus and God’s Word through writing. She also enjoys reading, taking walks with the Lord, serving and discipling others, and being a part of her local church. Connect with her through her website and Instagram.