Bible Reading Rhythms

Philip Long
Dec 31, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Jan 3

The New Year brings an opportunity for us to revisit our habits. And I think Justin Whitmel Early is right, we become our habits.

So, when it comes to reading the Bible, what’s your plan for 2026? What habits do you already have? What do you want to put in place for the new year?

Here’s a few thoughts to consider and resources linked everywhere that's underlined to help as you make plans for your Bible reading in 2026, with some example plans copied in at the bottom.

Focus more in the daily and weekly rhythms than on the goals of your Spiritual disciplines.

Absolutely set a goal if that’s helpful for you! But, "A goal is something you accomplish and move past. A rhythm is something you return to, even when you miss a step."

If you have a goal without a plan of how to achieve that goal, it probably won’t happen.

Think about the rhythm of engaging with the Bible regularly. For example, you could plan…

"30 minutes of intentional Bible reading and journaling 5 days per week."

Let your primary goals of your spiritual disciplines be knowing God (Jeremiah 9:23-24) and being conformed to his image (Romans 8:28-29), not just finishing a reading plan.

Prioritize encountering God day by day over crossing something off a to-do list. The goal behind our spiritual disciplines is glorifying God. Don’t lose sight of that goal in trying to finish a reading plan.

When you do set a goal, set a reasonable goal, and plan for buffers.

Take a reasonable step up in challenging yourself. Going from no reading to reading the Bible in a year would be a big step. Better to start small and build on your wins. Also, my favorite reading plans are 5 day/week or 25 days/month plans. My opinion is 365 day reading plans are recipes for failure. One of the most common reasons give up on plans is they get behind. Build in days for catching up or for deeper study when you’re on schedule. (See below for some examples)

Be cautious with Bible reading plans that involve your phone.

We all know how quickly our phones can distract us. A physical Bible, a printed out on paper bible reading plan, and a physical journal are far better for keeping our attention on what is in front of us.

Know the value of Fast Bible reading and Slow Bible reading, for familiarity and intimacy.

There’s a place for covering large sections of scripture at a time. It’s beautiful to see the whole scope and story line of God’s word! There’s also a place for intentional, deliberate study of God’s word. In the best case scenario, there’s place in your life for both. If I had to pick, I’d rather someone read slowly, studying and comprehending what they learn, worshiping God through it, and applying it to their lives.

Journaling can be one of the best ways to reflect on what you read.

Putting pen to paper can transform your Bible reading by better engaging your mind and therefore your heart. Copy down meaningful verses or phrases as you go. Write down questions you have about the passage. As you finish a chapter or section, see if you can answer these two questions: What does this passage say about God? What does this passage say about me?

Let your Bible reading transition into prayer.

Pray to God in praise of what you just noticed in the Bible about Him. Confess any sin you see revealed by the Word. Pray about how this passage applies to your life. Let those prayers transition into broader prayers, perhaps for groups like your family, your work, your church, your friends, and the nations.

Make time in your week for Scripture memory.

It might not be a 5 or 7 day/week habit, but carve out time at least a couple times per week to consider how to get God’s word into your heart.

When it comes to making a Bible reading plan, one of the keys is just making a plan. So, thinking about a plan is good start. Now, maybe put pen to paper and write out a plan.

Here’s some of my favorites, and one I wrote, that could help get you started:

New Testament in a Year, 5 days/week:

5 Day a week plan, Whole Bible in a year:

25 days/month Whole Bible in a Year:

The one I wrote - Weekly Plan: OT in 2 years, NT in one year:

OR...write your own plan! Consider using a visual like this chart of all the chapters of each book of the Bible. Maybe you plan to read 1-2 chapters a day straight through a book of the Bible, alternating between the New Testament and the Old Testament. You could check off the book of the Bible as you finish to keep track of what you've read.

Philip Long

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