Tip 007 - Faithfulness Over Routine

I'm about to burst the bubble of every "Coffee and Jesus" person out there—you know exactly who you are. It's not that coffee or worship music or scented candles are bad, but let's get brutally honest: sometimes these things become more important than the actual Bible study itself. Yes, I said it. It can turn into ritual—or even addiction. If you're feeling a bit defensive, try stripping it all away: no coffee, no music, no ambiance. Just you, your Bible, and silence. If that's not satisfying enough, we have a bigger issue.

Before you get too upset, hear me out. This isn't a rant against routines or rituals themselves—those things can actually be beneficial. The real issue is mistaking routine for genuine faithfulness. Faithfulness in studying God's Word is not about maintaining perfect habits; it's about a heart committed to knowing God better, regardless of circumstances.

So how do we shift from a mindset of routine to genuine, heart-level faithfulness in studying the Bible? Here are five practical ways:

Don’t Turn It into a Checklist

This is very much about your heart here. If your Bible study feels more like an obligation than an opportunity, it's time to reset your approach. Faithfulness isn't about ticking a box; it's about consistently showing up eager to learn.
Tip: Approach your Bible each time expecting God to speak—even if it’s just one verse.

Don’t Lock into One Specific Time

Setting a regular time is helpful, but life happens. When we miss our “set time”, we usually just scrap it until the next day. And if we’re honest, this usually leads to a “slide” in not reading daily. If you miss your usual morning devotion, don't abandon study altogether. Flexibility helps sustain faithfulness.
Tip: Find pockets of time throughout the day—faithfulness adapts rather than quits.

Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity

Faithfulness doesn’t always mean spending hours in the Word. Sometimes, five intentional minutes of deep reflection are more transformative than an hour of distracted reading.
Tip: Dive deep rather than wide—ask yourself, "What truth can I meditate on today?"

Prioritize Refinement Over Bulk Reading

Let’s be real, when we set out to read a lot, just to get it done, we usually skim or skip over parts just to get our reading done. Spiritual growth usually happens when we deeply understand and apply smaller portions of Scripture.
Tip: Stay in a passage until you genuinely grasp its meaning, rather than rushing on.

Stop Keeping Score

Bible study is not a competition, but we feel really good when we read a lot, or accomplish a Bible reading plan. Both of those are good things to do, but those “wins” may not actually be productive. The goal is growth, not achievement.
Tip: Measure your growth by changes in your life and heart, not by how many pages you've covered.

Conclusion:

Let’s move past simply building a routine and start cultivating genuine faithfulness. Faithfulness isn't defined by perfect schedules or ideal conditions—it's a deep-seated desire to know God more intimately through His Word, no matter how messy life gets. When your Bible study is stripped down to nothing but your heart and God's truth, that's when transformation truly happens.

God’s Word alone is enough. Trust it. Embrace it. Return to it faithfully, day after day, and watch how it transforms not just your study habits, but your entire life.

Take action: Next time you open your Bible, do it without the extras. Just you and Scripture. Then pay attention—what is God saying to you when nothing else distracts you?