What To Do When He Won't Read the Bible

By: Jenifer Metzger

The Bible is our daily bread. Something we should read, study and pray over every single day. It's vital to our spiritual life.

But what happens if your husband won't read and study the Bible?

Here are a few tips to help:

• First and foremost, remember that you are not his Holy Spirit. You cannot convict him into reading his Bible, praying or anything for that matter. You are his wife, not Holy Spirit.
• Pray. There is power in prayer and God honors the honest, heart felt cries of a wife's heart. Pray that God would give your husband a deep desire to read the Word. Pray that God would help you to be a respectful encouragement in this area.
• Make sure he has the necessary tools. In order to study the Bible, you need a Bible. Does your husband have his own Bible? Consider purchasing him a Bible with his name imprinted on it. The best Bible I've seen for men is the Every Man's Bible. My husband loves the Messenger Edition. Also, does he have highlighters or pens to mark notes in his Bible? Maybe a journal if he really enjoys writing? Recently I pulled out a bag for my husband, embroidered with his name, and placed his Bible, a few notebooks, highlighters and pens and placed it all next to his side of the bed. This way he had all he needed right at his finger tips. Click HERE to see my favorite Bible study tools.
• Give him uninterrupted time. Sometimes when our husband is home, we like to consume his time. There are honey-dos to do, the kids to play with and we need some attention. But your husband needs uninterrupted time with God. If he says he's reading his Bible at 6am for 30 minutes, then don't interrupt him at 6am for 30 minutes. If he says he's reading the Bible for 15 minutes after dinner, help keep the kids quiet so he is not interrupted. Let him have time with God without you bothering him.
• Ask him to read together. Talk to your husband about reading the Bible together. This will get him into the Word and plant the seeds of passion for God's Word. Even if you only read a few verses together each day, you are still reading and that's important. Not only is it a great start to him wanting to read the Word on his own, but it's a vital connection in marriage.
• Place Scripture in the home. Print off or write down Scripture verses and place them in your home. This allows your entire family to see God's Word all day long. You can all meditate on the promises of the Bible and be encouraged. This is another way to plant the seeds of passion for God's Word.
• Text him Scripture. Text a Scripture to your husband each day. A Scripture that you are praying over him and let him know you've prayed this verse over him.
• Pray...again. Always go back to prayer. Pray for your husband!

What are other ways you encourage your husband to read the Bible? Does he willingly read on his own already? Share your experiences in the comments.