If you’re unmotivated to read the Bible, you’re not alone, and you don’t need to walk away from it. Start by being honest with God about how you feel. Then make reading easier: choose a plan instead of opening to random pages, try a more readable translation or an audio Bible, and ask God to grow your hunger for his Word. Desire often follows small, faithful steps.
When You Feel Unmotivated to Read the Bible
Life is busy, and even when it isn’t, it’s tempting to spend free time scrolling, streaming, or simply resting. Sometimes the Bible feels confusing or distant, and other times you just don’t feel like opening it. If that describes you, take heart. Seasons of spiritual dryness are common, even for mature believers, and feeling unmotivated doesn’t mean your faith is fake. The Bible itself includes honest prayers from people who felt low and needed God to lift them up.
Psalm 119:25 I lie in the dust; revive me by your word.
Notice where the psalmist turns when he feels flat. He doesn’t run away from God’s Word; he asks God to revive him through it. That’s a helpful model. Instead of waiting until you feel spiritual enough to read, bring your lack of motivation to God and let Scripture be part of the cure rather than one more item on a guilt list.
Read With a Plan, Not at Random
One reason Bible reading fizzles out is the “flip and point” approach: opening to a random page and hoping something jumps out. Occasionally it does, but more often you miss the context, including who’s speaking, who the audience is, and what’s happening in the story. Without that background, even familiar passages can feel confusing, and confusion quickly drains motivation.
A better approach is to pick one book and read it from start to finish. The early believers in Berea give a great example of engaging Scripture with intention and curiosity.
Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
The Bereans searched Scripture day after day with real questions in mind. You can do the same by starting with a Gospel like Mark or John and asking what each passage shows you about Jesus. If you get bogged down, it’s fine to switch to another book and come back later. These simple steps for reading the Bible can help you build a plan that works.
Try a Different Translation or Listen Instead
Sometimes the problem isn’t your heart but the wording on the page. Bible translations express the same message in different styles. The New International Version and the New Living Translation use clear, modern English, while The Message is a looser paraphrase that can work well as a companion to a translation. Reading a familiar passage in a fresh translation can help you notice things you’ve skimmed past for years.
You can also listen. Audio Bibles let you take in Scripture while driving, exercising, or doing chores, which is a huge help for busy seasons. The early church mostly heard God’s Word read aloud, and Paul connected hearing with faith.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Listening isn’t a lesser way to engage the Bible. It can be a doorway back into consistent time with God, especially if you pair it with moments of prayer, like when you turn your commute into prayer time. The goal is engagement, not a perfect method.
Ask God to Grow Your Hunger for His Word
Motivation for Bible reading isn’t something you have to manufacture on your own. God is happy to change your appetite. Before you read or listen, pray a simple prayer asking him to help you understand and to make his truth come alive. Over time, this shifts reading from a chore to a conversation. The psalmist prayed this kind of prayer, asking God to open his eyes to what he might otherwise miss.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.
Spiritual hunger tends to grow the way physical hunger does: the more regularly you eat, the more your body expects it. Start small, even five minutes a day, and stay consistent. As you keep showing up, you’ll discover why daily Bible reading matters and find that God’s Word becomes something you want, not just something you should do.
The Takeaway
If you’re unmotivated to read the Bible, don’t give up on it. Be honest with God, read with a plan, try a fresh translation or an audio Bible, and ask him to grow your hunger for his Word. Small, consistent steps can turn a dry season into a fresh start.
