A Prayer for When You Don't Feel Like Reading Scripture

The Bible tells us that "the word of God is living and effective" (Hebrews 4:12) and that it is "inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Here at The Daily Grace Co., we believe in the power of Scripture. We believe it is important to daily immerse ourselves in the truths of God's living Word so that we can be made complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).

But we all experience seasons when the Word–and our desire to read it–seems just out of reach. You know the feeling. When you snooze your alarm one too many times and miss the opportunity to read your Bible and pray before heading to work or school. When you crawl into bed at the end of another long day only to realize, yet again, you went through a whole day without giving God and His Word a passing thought. When your Bible sits upon a shelf, unopened and collecting dust for weeks at a time.

It can be easy to feel guilt and shame when these realizations rise to the surface. After all, as believers, we know Jesus holds the words of eternal life (John 6:68), yet many of us may still struggle to open his Word on a consistent basis. What are we to do in moments like these?

When legalism creeps in with its stinging accusations, we can remember the truth of Romans 8:1: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." God doesn't condemn us or love us less when we fail to spend time with Him. But at the same time, God daily invites us to come to Him and find rest for our souls, offering us a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light (Matthew 11:28–30).

When we feel far from God and His Word, the best thing we can do is simply draw near to God Himself. After all, James 4:8 reminds us that when we draw near to God, He draws near to us. We need not feel ashamed of how long we've been away. God simply invites us, time and time again, to come to Him. And one of the best ways we can do that is by reading His Holy Word.

Maybe you still feel inadequate or unsure where to start. That's okay. The Holy Spirit is more than able to meet you right where you are. Below is a prayer that you may find helpful as you seek Him. It is a prayer I have prayed myself as I've desired to return to the Lord. And I pray that it would resonate with you, too.

Lord,

I feel disconnected from You.

I know You are never far from me, but lately, I have felt far from You.

Would you remind me that You're close–closer than I can imagine?

Would you create space for me to spend time with You–intentional time to rest in Your presence?

God, I confess that sometimes it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day. Would You open my eyes to see windows of time that are already available to me so that I can pursue You in these moments? And if I am truly too busy, would you help me remove things from my schedule so that I can make time for what's most important–time spent with You?

Through Your Holy Spirit, I pray that You would grant me the desire and the discipline to turn to You daily.

Give me the desire, Lord, to open Your Word, to pray continually, and to worship. I pray that You would change my heart so that I would deeply look forward to spending time with You. I want to eagerly anticipate time in Your Word. I want to value this time more than anything else in my day.

Give me the discipline, Lord, to prioritize time with You. I know there will be days, like today, when I am too busy for my own good–when I am too distracted to see what is right in front of me. Convict me in these moments, Lord, and help me wholeheartedly spend time with You.

Time with You is not a checklist item or a daily goal to achieve. It is a gift and a privilege. It is a lifeline, for You are my refuge and my strength. Remind me of this truth today and every day.

Thank You for the opportunity to draw near. Thank You for the truth that as I draw near to You, You draw near to me.

In Your Son Jesus's name I pray,

Amen.

If you're not sure where to start in your Bible study, consider turning to a few of the verses that inspired this prayer and blog post: Matthew 11:28–30, John 6:60–69, Psalm 46, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, and James 4:8. The Lord is near, and I pray you will seek His presence today.

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