Spiritual habits don’t have to feel like running a marathon when you’re out of shape.
There’s a better way, and it starts with small, easy-to-manage steps—steps that actually fit into your messy, real life.
Forget perfection; this is about progress.
If you’re tired of feeling like a spiritual couch potato, I’ve got good news for you.
By the end of this post, you’ll have a plan that sticks, even if you’ve tried and failed before. For this, we’ll be using proven habit-building tactics from Atomic Habits by James Clear.
In this article I’m going to use the practice of devotional Bible reading as an example, but it can be applied to any other spiritual or non spiritual discipline.
Let’s dive in.
1. The Secret to Build a New Habit
Read one chapter daily.
That’s it. One Bible chapter. Every day. Even on weekends.
“But I won’t be able to finish the Bible in a year at that pace.”
Jeff, you haven’t even read a tenth of your Bible since the beginning of the year. Stop playing.
Reading one chapter a day, without skipping, means you’d get through roughly 33% of the Bible in a year.
I know, 33% sounds like an F- in an exam, but this is not an exam.
This is habit formation.
James Clear emphasizes that you need small wins to build momentum. It’s these tiny, manageable steps that compound over time.
Remember, you’re not trying to measure yourself against someone like Dr. Craig Keener who a couple of years after he was born again, he read the Bible 12 times… in a year.
The entire Bible. Monthly. 40 chapters a day.
No life. I know.
That’s not our goal, realistically speaking. You’re measuring progress against your past self.
How many chapters did you read devotionally last month?
Exactly—nothing, nada, zip.
Now, imagine reading one chapter a day, every day. That’s 365 chapters in a year.
That’s 37X!
Like Clear says, habits are the compound interest of self-improvement, and you’re compounding 1% every day.
Why It Works: This approach reduces the resistance that comes with setting larger, intimidating goals. By doing just a little bit daily, you build momentum without feeling like it’s too much to handle.
2. The Secret to Never Forgetting Again
Now, there’s two key strategies to make this habit last:
1. Attach it to an event, not a specific time.
James Clear calls this habit stacking—linking a new habit to an existing one. By attaching Bible reading to an event in your daily routine, you make it automatic and easier to remember.
Here’s what I do as an example:
Before bed, I prep my coffee for the next morning. After waking up and brushing my teeth, I just need to heat the milk and start the coffee maker.
That takes about 10 minutes. While waiting for the milk to heat up, I open my Bible and read two chapters.
Last chapter I read it while sipping my hot coffee.
The habit sticks because I’ve linked it to something I already do every day—making my coffee.
Find an anchor event in your own routine. Maybe it’s your morning coffee, or right after your workout, or even just before you go to bed.
Why It Works: You eliminate the mental struggle of “finding time” because you’re already doing the primary action. You’re just adding Bible reading as a bonus.
2. Make it Obvious: Use a Physical Bible
Why? Because phones are incredibly distracting.
You might start reading, but before you know it, you’re checking emails, texts, or social media.
Clear’s second law is to reduce friction—make it easier to avoid distractions by sticking to a physical Bible.
But there’s another, more important reason: your family is watching.
If you’re married or have kids, they won’t follow your words—they’ll follow your actions.
You want your wife and kids to read their Bibles more? They must see you do it first and consistently.
Imagine your wife and kids seeing you every morning with a cup of coffee in one hand and the Bible in the other.
Your example will speak louder than any words ever could.
You don’t have kids? You’re single, living home alone? Then do it for your future self.
You want to be a disciple, a real one—someone who constantly lives in the Word of God, whose thoughts are saturated with the things above.
This daily habit will lay the foundation for wisdom, and wisdom leads to good fortune in every area of your life: Spiritually, emotionally, financially—you name it. You need this. Period.
And if you’re planning on getting married and having kids someday, you owe it to your future family to be the kind of godly role model they’ll need.
3. The Secret to Consistency
Ever notice how some places just seem to inspire certain actions? Your environment can either support or sabotage your spiritual goals. If you want your Bible reading habit to stick, you need to design your space for it.
James Clear emphasizes the importance of environment design in Atomic Habits as a key factor in habit formation. He explains that “environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.” Essentially, your surroundings have a powerful influence on your actions, often more than motivation or willpower alone.
Clear suggests that instead of relying solely on self-discipline, you should shape your environment to make positive habits easier and negative habits harder.
This concept is captured in his “third law” of behavior change: Make it easy. When you make the desired action more accessible by adjusting your environment, it removes friction and lowers the barrier to starting the habit.
For example, he encourages creating cues or visual reminders in your space that trigger the habit you’re trying to build. If you want to develop a Bible reading habit, having your Bible prominently displayed in a comfortable, distraction-free area acts as a visual cue, nudging you toward the action.
Clear’s principle of environment design reinforces the idea that behavior is often a function of our surroundings, and when we change our environment, we change our behavior. This aligns perfectly with creating a spiritual reading space that invites you to engage with Scripture regularly.
Think of it like setting out your gym clothes the night before a workout. If your Bible is buried under papers or hidden on a shelf, reading it will feel like a chore. But if it’s visible and within reach, you’ve removed an obstacle.
Why It Works: A well-designed environment reduces friction, making it easier to follow through on your habit. When everything you need is in the right place, you’ll be more likely to pick up your Bible and start reading.
4. The Secret to Enjoy it
What if Bible reading didn’t feel like one of those dentist appointments you’ve been dreading but more like the moment you find out your favorite coffee shop has a “buy one, get one free” special? Yep, it’s possible. The trick is making Bible reading so enjoyable that it becomes something you actually look forward to, rather than something you feel you should do.
You can reward yourself when you hit a milestone—maybe after reading consistently for a week, you treat yourself to a coffee from your favorite café. Clear calls this ‘making it satisfying.’ Small rewards can reinforce your progress and give you something to look forward to.
Why It Works: James Clear emphasizes that you need to make habits satisfying to keep them going. When you enjoy the process, your brain associates the habit with positive feelings, making it more likely to stick.
5. The Secret to Staying Motivated
Here’s where James Clear’s advice about tracking your habits comes in. You need to visually see your progress to stay motivated. Use a physical or digital tracker to mark off each day you complete your spiritual routine.
Marking off each day isn’t just about tracking—it’s about building momentum. Like James Clear teaches, once you see that chain of days growing longer, you won’t want to break it. It creates a psychological motivation to keep going, even on those days when you don’t feel like it.
This isn’t about guilt-tripping yourself into ‘perfect’ behavior—it’s about celebrating consistency. Did you miss a day? No big deal. Just don’t miss two days in a row.
Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Spiritual growth is about showing up, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s boring. And yes, sometimes it will feel boring. But those are the days when faithfulness matters most.
Why It Works: When you see your progress build day after day, it triggers a psychological desire to keep going. It’s the power of consistency. James Clear calls this “Don’t Break the Chain”—once you start marking off your days, you won’t want to stop. It gives you a visible reminder that you’re committed.
6. The Secret to Internalize it
Have you ever thought about how your habits align with your sense of self? If you want to build a lasting Bible reading habit, it’s essential to tie it to your identity and purpose.
Ask yourself: What kind of disciple do you aspire to be? Reflect on the values that matter to you, whether it’s being a loving parent, a supportive spouse, or a faithful friend. Every time you pick up your Bible, remind yourself that this habit shapes you into that person.
Why It Works: When you connect your habits to who you want to become, they feel less like chores and more like natural expressions of that identity. You’re not just reading the Bible; you’re becoming a person who values spiritual growth and intimacy with God.
Product to Help: A journal like The Purpose Driven Life Journal can be a powerful tool for self-reflection. Use it to jot down thoughts about your identity and goals, track your progress, and reflect on how your Bible reading is shaping you into the person you desire to be.
7. The Secret for Breakthrough
Ever feel like you’re doing everything right, yet progress seems to stall? That’s the Plateau of Latent Potential in action. This concept, popularized by James Clear, reminds us that meaningful results often take time to manifest.
The Plateau of Latent Potential is the hardest part of habit-building because it tests your commitment. When you don’t see immediate results, it’s easy to get discouraged and quit. But if you push through this period, you’ll eventually reach a tipping point where the habit becomes second nature, and the growth feels exponential.
Don’t get frustrated by slow progress—faithfulness over time is far more important than bursts of enthusiasm that fizzle out. As Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
One practical way to push through this plateau is to regularly review your progress and remind yourself why you started. Every few weeks, reflect on how far you’ve come since you began reading daily, and how your mindset has changed. Celebrate the small victories along the way.
You can also use a habit tracker to visually mark your progress. The simple act of checking off each day helps build momentum and keeps you motivated. Over time, those checkmarks will reflect the spiritual transformation that’s quietly taking root.
Why It Works: Understanding that growth doesn’t always look linear helps keep you motivated during slow periods. Real change often lies just below the surface, waiting for the right moment to break through.
From Small Steps to Lasting Growth: Keep Building the Momentum
Now, is the goal to stay at 1% forever? Of course not.
This 1% daily improvement isn’t just about ticking off chapters. It’s a gateway.
By building a habit of consistent Bible reading, you’re laying the groundwork for other spiritual disciplines to flourish—prayer, fasting, fellowship, family worship, deeper study. One step at a time, they’ll all start falling into place.
Recommended Reading: Struggling with Prayer? 5 Reasons You Lack the Desire to Pray (and How to Overcome Them!)
Before you know it, one chapter will become two, two will become three, and soon, you’ll be diving into God’s Word without hesitation. Maybe you’ll read one chapter in the morning, another at lunch, and the last before bed—whatever works for your schedule.
The key here is consistency. And remember what James Clear teaches: stack it with habits you already have. Make it so automatic that skipping a day feels like something’s missing.
Some days, the story will captivate you, and you won’t want to stop at one chapter—so don’t. Keep going. Push yourself like you would in the gym. Start light, build strength, and increase the weight when you’re ready.
This is how lasting spiritual growth begins—not with leaps and bounds, but with faithful steps. The journey is lifelong, but you’ve already taken the most important step: starting.
Now, go build a spiritual routine that sticks. You’ve got this.