Why Reading the Bible Feels So Hard (and How to Fix It)

For years, I hated reading the Bible. I felt guilty, bored, and honestly, I thought something was wrong with me.

But here’s what I eventually realized: the problem wasn’t me, it was the way I was taught to read the Bible. Most people don’t quit because the Bible is boring. They quit because they’re reading it the wrong way.

I still remember going to church camp growing up. They’d send us out for thirty minutes of “devotions.” Everyone else looked so spiritual, journaling, praying, underlining verses. I sat there flipping pages, trying to look busy, hoping no one noticed that I wasn’t getting anything out of it. And the truth is, I mostly felt guilty. Guilty for not understanding it, guilty for not wanting to read it, guilty for pretending.

That cycle followed me for years. I’d get inspired after a sermon, open my Bible, try to power through… and within days I’d give up. And every time, I felt more discouraged, more convinced that I just wasn’t “spiritual enough.”

It wasn’t until college that something shifted. I started to see that the Bible isn’t a textbook with fill-in-the-blank answers, or a rulebook to keep me in line, or a self-help manual to make me feel better. It’s a story, God’s story, and an invitation to step into it.

Once I realized the Bible wasn’t a rulebook or a self-help guide, I started to see the mistakes that had been tripping me up for years. And the truth is, they’re the same mistakes a lot of us make when we try to read the Bible.

And I want to start by looking at some common mistakes many of us make when we read the Bible… Here’s three mistakes I made when reading the Bible.

Mistake #1: Treating the Bible Like It’s Black and White

For a long time I thought the Bible had the answer to every question. Like whatever I was wrestling with, politics, relationships, big life decisions, I could just flip through and find the verse that told me what to do.

But here’s the problem: there are a lot of questions the Bible doesn’t try to answer. And if you come to it looking for a step-by-step manual, you’re going to end up disappointed or confused.

That’s why so many Christians end up arguing over proof texts. One person quotes a verse to prove their point, someone else fires back with another verse, and suddenly the Bible becomes ammo for a fight instead of an invitation into God’s story.

The truth is: the Bible isn’t an answer book, it’s a transformation book.

When you read it cover to cover you don’t just see neat categories of “always right” and “always wrong.” You see tension. You see multiple perspectives. You see themes that weave together into something bigger than a list of answers, you see a story.

And that’s the point. The Bible is a story of redemption. It’s God going to extreme lengths to bring His people back to Him. It’s also a journey, a light for your path, not a map that shows every single turn (Psalm 119:105). And most importantly, it’s an invitation. God isn’t asking you to memorize answers; He’s inviting you to meet Him in the pages.

Hebrews 4:12 says it like this: “The word of God is living and active… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 

In other words, the Bible doesn’t just fill your head with knowledge; it reshapes your life. And that’s so much better than black-and-white answers.

Mistake #2: Making the Bible the Center Instead of Jesus

Now before you click away, hear me out. The Bible is incredibly important. But it isn’t the foundation of our faith… Jesus is.

Christianity doesn’t exist because we have a Bible. It exists because Jesus lived, died, and rose again. That event is the foundation. The Bible records it, points us to it, and shows us how to live in light of it.

Think of it this way: your life doesn’t exist because you have a birth certificate. That certificate documents something real, your birth. But if you lost the paper, it wouldn’t erase the fact that you’re alive. In the same way, Christianity doesn’t stand because we have a book, but because Jesus really did rise from the dead. The Bible simply bears witness to that reality.

And the Bible does more than just tell us about Jesus. It tells the sweeping story of God and His people, the rise, the fall, and the redemption. Page after page points to a God who rescues, restores, and redeems. And at the center of it all stands Jesus.

When we make the Bible itself the center, it usually leads to two extremes. Either we use it as a weapon, “The Bible says it, that settles it”, and end up being known more for what we’re against than the One we follow. 

Or we turn it into the end goal, where faith becomes all about gaining knowledge. And knowledge without relationship almost always leads to pride.

That’s what Jesus warned the Pharisees about in John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”

The Bible’s role is to point us to God. And when you approach it that way, everything changes. Instead of collecting verses or arguments, you’re drawn into a relationship. Instead of ending with knowledge, you grow in love.

The Bible is vital, but it’s not the destination. It’s the signpost. And if you stop at the sign, you’ll miss the Person it’s pointing you to.

Mistake #3: Reading the Bible Like It Was Written to You

What happens so often is we pull out a verse, highlight it, maybe even slap it on a mug, without ever thinking about who it was originally written to. 

That’s how verses like Jeremiah 29:11 — “For I know the plans I have for you…” get turned into personal promises for a comfortable life. But that verse was written to Israel in exile, not to guarantee you’ll get into your dream school or land your dream job.

Or Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We quote it to win football games or to crush final exams. But Paul wrote that from prison, about finding contentment in suffering.

Here’s the reality: the Bible wasn’t written to you. It was written for you. 

Every book has an original audience, a cultural setting, a reason it was written. Paul didn’t write Ephesians thinking about you scrolling TikTok in 2025, he was addressing real people in the first-century church in Ephesus. If we ignore that, we risk twisting the text into something God never intended.

But here’s the good news: once you start asking, “What did this mean for them then?” before you ask, “What does it mean for me now?” the Bible actually gets richer. You start to see it as this diverse library of history, poetry, prophecy, letters all stitched together into one bigger story that points to Jesus. 

And when you read it that way, you don’t flatten it into quick slogans or personal pep talks. You let God’s Word speak with the depth and power it was meant to have. When you understand the Bible in context you will see the words come to life in a whole new way. 

So How Do We Read the Bible the Right Way?

Okay, so if the Bible isn’t just black-and-white answers, and it’s not the center of our faith, and it wasn’t written directly to us… then how do we actually read it the way it was meant to be read?

Let me give you a few basics that changed everything for me.

1. Approach it with humility. Humility

This is where it has to start. Most of us come to the Bible looking for answers we already want, like we’re searching for backup to prove we’re right. That’s not humility, that’s confirmation bias.

But when we come to the Bible asking, “God, what do you want to show me? What do I need to change?” everything shifts. Hebrews 4:12 says God’s Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” In other words, it’s not just a book of ancient words. It’s alive. It cuts. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of your heart.

So read the Bible with an open heart, expecting it to confront you, encourage you, and transform you.

2. Pay attention to genre and context.

The Bible isn’t one book, it’s a library of 66 books. Some are history. Some are poetry. Some are letters. Some are prophecy. If you read all of them the same way, you’re guaranteed to misinterpret it.

Nobody reads Shakespeare’s sonnets the same way they read a U.S. history textbook. Genre matters. So when you open your Bible, ask: What kind of book am I reading? Who was this written to? What was going on in their world?

And don’t stop there, zoom out. Look at the verses before and after. Look at the bigger story of Scripture. Context is king. If you ignore it, you can make the Bible say almost anything you want. But if you respect it, the meaning opens up in powerful ways.

3. Start with Jesus.

If you’re new to the Bible, don’t start in Genesis. Don’t start with the hardest laws in Leviticus. Start with Jesus.

I always recommend starting with the Gospel of John. It’s written to show us who Jesus is and what He came to do. It’s full of stories of His encounters with ordinary people… people with doubts, fears, and questions just like us.

And after John, read the book of James. Those two books will give you a great foundation to build your faith off of. 

4. Ask good questions.

Here’s something practical: don’t just read a passage and move on. Slow down and ask questions.

• What does this teach me about God?
• What does it show me about people?
• What does this mean for how I live?

Even asking just one of those questions will take your reading to a deeper level. The Bible isn’t meant to be skimmed like social media. It’s meant to be wrestled with. God can handle your questions. In fact, sometimes the most growth comes not from easy answers but from wrestling with hard truths.

5. Let it move from your head to your heart.

This one might be the most important. Reading the Bible isn’t about collecting trivia. The goal isn’t to just know more; it’s to be transformed more.

So after you’ve read, take a moment to reflect. Pray over it. Journal it. Write a verse on a sticky note and put it on your mirror. Let it soak in.

Because the danger is this: you can read the Bible every day, underline half the verses, and still never let it touch your life. But if you let it, God’s Word will shape your thoughts, your habits, your relationships, everything.

The Bible isn’t a book you master. It’s a book that’s meant to master you.

The Challenge

Here’s the deal: the Bible is not just words on a page. It’s living and active. It’s God’s voice breaking into your life. It comforts when you’re hurting, confronts when you’re off track, and calls you into something bigger than yourself. It has the power to transform your life and faith… if you let it. 

This book has outlasted empires, carried people through suffering, and changed lives for thousands of years. And it can change yours too.

So here’s my challenge: give God 30 days. Open His Word every day, even just for a few minutes. Start with John, or maybe pick up a reading plan in the Bible app… Pray, “God, show me what You want me to see.” Write down one thing that stands out. That’s it.

And listen… this isn’t about being perfect, if you miss a day, just start again the next. 

Do that for 30 days, and I believe you won’t just read the Bible, you’ll encounter the God behind it. And when you do, it’ll change everything.