It’s taken me some time, a lifetime in fact, to find a systematic study pattern that works for me. I think everyone needs to lean into their personalities when learning to study God’s Word. There’s no “one size fits all” process of swimming in the River of studying the Bible.

I have a dear friend whose best time for studying is late into the night. My husband’s best time to study is during the daytime. Me? The earlier the better because my brain begins to shut down around 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

What doesn’t work for me is something that is dogmatic, as in, “Do this, and if you don’t do it, you aren’t studying right.”

That said, I wanted to share what works for me, hoping you can glean something useful. God is big enough to lead you in your own disciplines of study. The important thing is that you spend time with God in His Word.

The River

The first place I go to connect with God is His Word: the Bible. The Bible is like a river. In Psalm 46:4 (NLT), we read, “A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High.” God’s presence is in that river, and His presence is found in His Word because Jesus is the Word (John 1:1). The River is where I begin before going to anything else (like Bible studies or devotionals) that are streams flowing from the River.

So, before I go anywhere else, I start with reading the Bible. Years ago, when I started walking with God, I tried to read the Bible but found myself overwhelmed. I found it easy to begin with books like Psalms, Proverbs, and the Gospels, but struggled to read more than that. Genesis, Lamentations, Amos, and Revelation all frightened me in a way because I struggled to understand them.

I struggled until one day I learned this valuable lesson: I don’t have to understand it all to read it. I thought I needed to understand everything before diving in. Instead, that mindset kept me from the water of God’s Word washing over me and doing its work in my life.

There are many passages in the Bible that discuss its cleansing power, but perhaps one of the strongest references to this comes from John 17, where Jesus prayed for His disciples and for us who would follow in generations to come.

“But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”

John 17:13-19 (NASB)

It is God’s powerful Word that enables us to live in this world and remain holy while we are in it. No self-help book can compare in any way to the power of God’s Word. I am convinced that the Bible is the source of power for living close to the Lord and overcoming the struggles of this life. 

Once I was convinced of this, I began to thirst for more of God’s Word and read it systematically. I started with the One Year Bible and began to devour each book of the Bible. Some were harder to read than others (hello Lamentations), but I powered through and found a few little nuggets of truth that spoke to me.

Since that time, I have found many ways to read the Bible, which I’ll discuss below. The point I’m making here is that the Bible is where I start and finish my study.

Read: SOAP

There are many excellent Bible reading plans available, whether you prefer a physical Bible or a digital app. Some guide you through the Bible in a year, others in two years, and still others focus on specific sections of Scripture. The important thing is to find a plan and stick with it.

Personally, I use Olive Tree for Bible reading and study. It is a free app with paid options for those who want to study more. I have followed several different yearlong plans that I enjoy and heartily recommend.

I wrote a post about spending time in God’s Word called “Your Relationship with God: How to Grow to Get to Where You Want to Go.” In it, I talk about SOAP to get more out of your time in God’s Word. I’ll briefly note here what SOAP means:

Scripture: As you read the Bible, look purposefully for a verse that stands out. Write that verse down in a journal/notebook.

Observation: What does that verse say to you? Write it down.

Application: How can you apply that verse to your day? Also, write it down.

Prayer: Pray over that verse and make a note of your prayers.

I find that many of the things I note in my journal later serve as personal encouragement and eventually become material for articles, teachings, books, and even curricula.

Other resources: streams coming from the River

Beyond the Bible itself, I find the most helpful study tools are those that connect the dots in Scripture.

When diving deeper into God’s Word, I have found that a good concordance, commentary, Bible dictionary, and reference Bible can be invaluable. I don’t use these resources every day, but when a passage or topic requires further study, they are the tools I reach for most often.

• Strong’s Concordance – One of the study tools I regularly use is Strong’s Concordance. While it can look intimidating at first, I use it very simply.
  • Strong’s helps me look up the original Hebrew and Greek words behind an English translation. Sometimes a word in Scripture carries a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface, and Strong’s helps me dig a little deeper into what the biblical author was communicating.
  • Many Bible apps and websites now include Strong’s numbers, making it easy to use this valuable resource.
• Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary – One commentary I return to often is Matthew Henry’s Commentary. Originally written in the late 1600s and early 1700s, it has remained a trusted resource for generations of Bible students.
  • What I appreciate most about Matthew Henry is his ability to draw practical application from Scripture. While many commentaries focus primarily on historical details or technical explanations, Henry consistently points the reader back to matters of the heart and everyday Christian living.
• Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Another tool I frequently use is Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. While Strong’s Concordance helps me locate and identify Greek words, Vine’s helps me better understand what those words mean in their biblical context.
• Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible – One of the resources I have used for many years is the Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible. First published by Finis Jennings Dake, it contains extensive notes, outlines, cross-references, and study helps throughout the Bible.
  • Dake’s causes me to think more deeply about the text. The references often lead me to passages I may not have considered, and the outlines can provide helpful structure when studying a particular topic or book of the Bible.

There are many other valuable study resources available, but these are the tools I return to most often. They have served me well over the years and are a good place to start if you are looking to build a personal study library.

Swimming in the River

The distracted pace of life today can lead us to think we don’t need to invest in our relationship with the Lord by reading and studying His Word. We prefer blurbs, quotes, and memes to sitting down for an appointment with the King of kings.

Let me encourage you today to step away from the pressures of the world and dive into God’s River, His word. There you will find all and more than you need to walk strong when life does its thing.

I dare you to take a swim.

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Related reading: For more Bible study posts and thoughts, you may enjoy these:

The Best-Selling Author of All Time

I’m Here to Check In: A Walk Without Distance