Confession? I fell out of my bible time routine. And once I was out, getting back into it felt overwhelming. And the more I thought about it, I started to question if I even really needed it. Did it really make that big of a difference? I started to convince myself it didn’t really matter.
And yet, the tug. You know the one. It was there. And it wouldn’t go away.
So, I pulled out my bible and put it on my nightstand. And that’s where it stayed. For months.
But the tug.
…
Fast forward a few weeks, and out of the blue I get a message from a friend. It’s a check-in & well wishes for the week ahead. But it also had a bible verse in it.
Huh.
We chatted a little and I congratulated her on the success of her business.
“Oh,” she said. “That’s all God.”
There it is again.
I confessed I needed to get back into the word but that I was feeling stuck. I didn’t expect the conversation to go anywhere. We’re both really busy.
Want to get into the word? Get encouraging friends.
The next thing I knew, my phone dinged with a video message. My friend had recorded a little video of her bible time set up.
“I’m real simple,” she said. She went on to explain that she keeps her bible and just a little notebook on the side table in her living room. “Keeps things easy.”
She then explained that she doesn’t use a devotional. “If you flip to the back of your bible —” she instructed. She knows we have the same one because she very aggressively (kindly) encouraged me to buy the She Reads Truth bible at the start of the year. “You’ll see there’s a bunch of words and related scripture. I just pick a word, any word that sounds good to me in the moment and read the related scripture.” She told me that she then prays over it and journals whatever comes to her in her basic notebook.
I couldn’t believe her kindness. This friend, who I’ve never met IRL and who was a total stranger to me until TikTok connected us last fall, took the time out of her busy day to literally show me how to get back into the word in a way that wouldn’t be overwhelming.
So, I thought I’d give it a go when I discovered something that changed everything for me.
My simple personalized bible time routine
I did exactly as my friend advised. I got a basic notebook, bought some new pens because duh. And put everything, my bible included, in my little morning basket on my nightstand.
That next morning, I sat with everything out in front of me and flipped to the back of my bible.
How am I feeling, I asked myself. What’s on my mind? What’s on my heart? Where do I feel like I need guidance?
That’s when an idea came to me. I pulled out my laptop, opened ChatGPT and described the situation I was in that was causing me so much upset and turmoil. And then I asked:
What would God say about this situation, please provide bible verses to support your answer.
I read the passage ChatGPT responded with and let out a giant exhale, peace washing over me. Then, I turned to the scripture.
Each one was accompanied by a little passage provided by ChatGPT that offered a bridge from the verse to the situation I’d laid out at the start.
I flipped to each provided verse, reading the chapter it was within. I copied the verse into my notebook because I know there’s a correlation between memory and putting something in your own handwriting.
And once I worked through each verse, I did what my friend suggested. I prayed and journaled whatever came to me.
Does bible time really make that much of a difference?
Ah, the question I kept asking myself when I couldn’t bring myself to get back into the word. I’d all but convinced myself that it doesn’t make a difference at all. How could it? Spending a few minutes in the word each day really couldn’t matter that much.
Oh, but it does.
And by personalizing my bible time to speak directly to the situations that were heaviest on my heart has been healing in so many ways.
The way my friend suggested would be just as healing — but since I’m still what I would consider a baby when it comes to exploring the word, I find this to be even easier.
Why does it make a difference? Because when you start your day in the word, it filters the lens in which you approach your day. Getting aligned with who you are and whose you are and those instructions for our lives, at least for me, gives me the power to move through my day and focus on the things that matter. Which, in turn, also helps me to easily chuck to the side the things that don’t. And that, as a chronically anxious overthinker, has made all the difference in the world.
How to use ChatGPT for personalized bible time
First, it’s important to note that there are a billion ways to do this and none of them are more right or wrong than another. It’s simply about what you find that works best for you.
The way my heart and anxiety work, I need God to speak directly to me and my situation. I find I do the best healing and growth in this way. If this is also you, I recommend framing your prompts with ChatGPT like this:
Step one: Describe what you are feeling and what you’re currently going through. I’ll give you an example:
I’m experiencing a situation where someone who did awful things to me is twisting the situation to make me out to be the villain. I’m hurt and angry and the whole situation feels incredibly unfair.
Step two: Finish the description with the question: What would God say to me about this situation and how I’m feeling. Provide bible verses to support your response.
Full Example: I’m experiencing a situation where someone who did awful things to me is twisting the situation to make me out to be the villain. I’m hurt and angry and the whole situation feels incredibly unfair. What would God say to me about this situation and how I’m feeling. Provide bible verses to support your response.
Below is ChatGPT’s response to this prompt:
I’m really sorry you’re in this situation — it’s deeply painful when someone who has wronged you rewrites the story to paint you as the villain. Your hurt and anger are completely valid, and you’re not alone in feeling this way. The Bible has a lot to say to people who are treated unfairly — not only acknowledging their pain but offering comfort, guidance, and a reminder of God’s justice, presence, and love.
Here’s what God might say to you, supported by Scripture:
“I see what happened. I know the truth.”
Even when others lie or distort reality, God sees clearly and knows your heart.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
— Hebrews 4:13
“You don’t need to defend yourself to everyone — I will be your defender.”
God doesn’t ask us to carry the burden of proving our innocence to everyone. He promises to fight for us and bring truth to light.
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
— Exodus 14:14
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord…”
— Isaiah 54:17
“Your pain matters to Me.”
God is not distant from your suffering. He draws near to the brokenhearted and keeps track of every tear.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
— Psalm 56:8
“You are not who they say you are.”
No matter what people say or think about you, your identity is secure in what God says about you.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
— Isaiah 43:1
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you… he will rejoice over you with singing.”
— Zephaniah 3:17
“I know it’s not fair. But I will bring justice.”
God doesn’t ignore injustice. In His timing, He will deal with those who hurt and deceive, and He will honor those who have been faithful and honest.
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19
“He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”
— Psalm 37:6
“Even in this, I’m working for your good.”
God is not the author of your pain, but He will redeem it — shaping your heart, your future, and your story.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…”
— Genesis 50:20
Final encouragement:
God isn’t asking you to ignore the injustice or pretend it didn’t hurt — He wants you to bring that hurt to Him. You don’t have to be strong alone. You’re allowed to be honest, raw, and even angry — David was, Job was, Jeremiah was. And God still called them faithful.
If you need help forgiving, healing, or setting boundaries, that too is part of your walk with Him — and He will guide you step by step.
Would you like a prayer or reflection to go along with this?
Me again; just so you don’t think I’m still the robot. From here, I do the following:
Step 3: This is where my bible comes in. I flip to the verse that ChatGPT offered, and I read either the chapter or the section it falls within. Context is important, sure. But also, I’ve often times found even more value and mic-drop moments in the scripture around the suggested verse. It’s also a really great way to dive deeper into the word.
Step 4: I write the verse in my notebook. If it stirs something specific up for me, I’ll write about it in that moment.
I repeat steps 3 & 4 until I reach the end.
Step 5: I pray over what I just read/learned. Sometimes, I pray independently. Other times, since I’m a newb, I’ll ask ChatGPT for a prayer on the situation and recite that — sometimes I also write the prayer down in my notebook.
Step 6: I journal about whatever comes to me, what I’ve learned and how it all makes me feel.
Things to note when working with ChatGPT for your bible time
ChatGPT can make mistakes. It an also take things incredibly out of context which can change the meaning of something. So you’ll want to keep the following in mind:
- ChatGPT is a tool to help you curate a personal bible experience. Always verify the responses against scripture.
- Context is important. Reading the scripture around the verses that ChatGPT suggest will allow you a more comprehensive understanding of the words.
- You need to be an active participant in this exercise. Relying solely on ChatGPT will result in a shallow experience. The point here is to go deeper and relate the word to your life, acquiring personalized instruction from within the word.
Lean into the tug
You clicked on this post for a reason. The tug is there, and you’re looking for answers. If all you need is a little push, I hope this can be that for you.
Since introducing bible time back into my mornings, I feel entirely different. There is peace where there was once anxiety. There is clarity where there were once racing thoughts. There is knowing where there was once uncertainty. The answers, all of them, lie within the pages of this book. We both know that. So why do we put ourselves to extra stress and turmoil trying to figure everything out all on our own? What silly little gooses we are.
I’d love to invite you to give this method a try, even just for a week. Report in and let me know how it goes. Or, if you need some accountability and encouragement, comment below your plans and I’ll check in with you!
God meets you where you are, friend. And sometimes we need a little help to get where we need to be — and in moments like those, tools like ChatGPT can be a real blessing if they’re used appropriately.
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