Setting Aside the Time

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

As Christians we know that we need to read the Bible, yet for most of us this seems a daunting task. Many of us can’t seem to find the time in the day to perform this essential study (yet all of us would agree that Bible study is infinitely important).

That leads us to an age-old question – why is there such a profound human tendency for procrastination? Is there any way that we can overcome this tendency? I think there is, but I also think that it takes an effective strategy of scheduling and habit building for most people (including me) to accomplish this feat.

Our reasons for procrastination are almost limitless and while some of them are actually pretty legitimate, others are not. Our lives today are busier than ever before. Social Media, T.V., text messages, email, family issues, our jobs, babysitting, cooking, sports, after school activities; all of these tend to rob us of free time and encourage procrastination.

In the past I have been very prone to procrastination and in many ways I still am. Fortunately, I recently found a method that has helped me bypass procrastination (at least a lot more often) and better accomplish the tasks that I seem to always put off.

The strategy that I’ve been using over the past year to get things completed more effectively is called “time-blocking”. I learned this technique from a book called Deep Work by productivity author Cal Newport. Basically, you take your day and block out specific times to do certain activities. If you don’t block out (and thus set aside) the time for a given activity, you are very likely to skip doing that activity.

If your plan is to “read the Bible sometime today”, you will likely fail in that task – and even if you do succeed you will likely be unable to keep up the habit. Time blocking encourages you to block out the exact time on your schedule for a given activity (like Bible study). That means literally blocking out the time on a schedule and adhering to that schedule no matter what (barring an emergency).

Be sure to choose a time that is typically free on your daily schedule. It also helps to have a ritual that you place before your study to let your mind know its time for the activity. Maybe your ritual could be taking a walk, or getting a cup of coffee before you sit down with your Bible. Whatever your ritual is, your mind will begin to associate this “trigger” with the fact that it is time for Bible study, and that will help reinforce your habit.

How much time should you block out for study? I would recommend starting small, about fifteen minutes if you don’t currently read the Bible daily. Plan to read one chapter slowly and sit and ponder over each verse. Personally, I’m not a big fan of reading the Bible quickly (I’ve done it) because the Bible is a complex document that requires deep thought.

Over time you can build up the length of your study sessions, but I believe it is best to initially start with baby steps. By starting small you can begin to build up “little wins” that will engrain the habit of Bible study into your life. One thing is for certain, if you set aside time daily to study God’s Word your life on earth (and in eternity) will be enriched beyond measure.