Easy ways to memorize Scripture

As Christian women, we know how important it is to memorize scripture. However, it can be difficult to prioritize scripture memory as busy women.

If you are a mom, there are always kids to take care of or tasks at home or at your job that need attention.

Maybe you are a busy student who is going to class, writing papers, and navigating a social life.

Or perhaps you are in the season of life where you are single and working full time and you are completely spent by the end of the day.

ROADBLOCKS AND CHALLENGES

For me personally, the roadblock around memorizing scripture was figuring out a method that worked for me and that easily fit into my schedule. That’s the key word, right? EASY.

Memorizing Scripture is not easy. I STILL cannot get the wording right for a passage I am memorizing in Deuteronomy. But the method that you use to memorize scripture should flow effortlessly into your daily routine.

Just like when you are starting a new workout routine and your muscles have to get stronger for the load you are applying to them, so it is with your habits. There will be an adjustment period as you “get stronger” in the new habit you are trying to establish.

In this post, I will give you my easy method for memorizing scripture and then I will provide you with other methods that did not work for me but may work for you!

My prayer is that you would obey the command of the Lord to hide His word in your heart and His word would become a joy and a delight to your heart (Jeremiah 15:16)

MY EASY SCRIPTURE MEMORY WALKING METHOD

1. Make a list of verses you want to memorize on your phone in the notes app. I copy and paste them from the Study Bible app directly into the notes of my phone.
2. Set aside a time to go for a 20-30 minute walk every day and use that time to memorize the scripture on your list. For me, this happens in the morning before my husband goes to work. I get to work on my Scripture memory, and I also get the benefits of morning sunlight exposure.
3. Divide the verse into sections and repeat each section out loud until you have it memorized, then move on to the next section.
4. Once you have memorized a verse, when you start your walk, begin by going through all the verses you have memorized as a review before starting a new verse.

You may look at this and say “That’s it???” but YES, that is it! I told you it was easy! Let me explain why this method works so well for me and why I think it will work for you too!

1. I have a set amount of time that I will be focusing on this task. If I sit down to memorize scripture without an end goal in mind as far as time goes, my mind starts to wander, and I don’t focus solely on memorizing the verse.
2. Personally, combining some gentle exercise with scripture memory is ESSENTIAL. The increased blood flow that gets sent to the brain helps with memory retention (Check out this article for more about exercise and the brain)

SUPPLEMENTING WITH THE DWELL APPLICATION

Another method that I really enjoy incorporating into my Scripture memory routine is listening to the verses I have memorized. An app that I really love for this purpose is the Dwell app.

With Dwell, you can create playlists of various Scriptures and listen to them at your own convenience. I will typically listen to my Scripture playlist during when I do a cold plunge or when I am driving. It’s a great way to review what I have already memorized.

Another reason I love Dwell is because I can pick different voice actors, translations, and background sound. I love to listen to the verses with instrumental hymn music and since I memorize in the ESV translation, I always stick with the same version.

But Dwell makes it SO EASY to customize your listening experience so you can truly make it whatever works best for you!

OTHER SCRIPTURE MEMORY METHODS

Now let’s talk about a few methods that I tried that did not work for me but may work for you!

1. The James Method Verse Map Journal: This is a great tool to incorporate into your daily bible reading time!
2. The Navigators Topical Memory System: I love the idea of having the physical cards with you and I like that it is topical because both of those elements will help some people retain the verses better.
3. The She Reads Truth Scripture Cards: I love pretty things! And these cards are so pretty. You can tape these to your bathroom mirror and review them while you get ready for the day. These also may a great gift for a new mama.

A WORD ABOUT DISCIPLINE

Now that we have talked about my method and other methods I recommend, I do want to say that all of these ideas will not be effective if we, as followers of Jesus Christ, do not practice self-discipline.

Sometimes you just need to buckle down and do the thing you know you need to do, regardless of if you have found the most ideal, perfectly perfect, method.

If you are having a really difficult time being self-disciplined, I recommend getting an accountability partner specifically for this area of your life.

Ask an older woman at church, your sister, your mom, or a friend to text you weekly and check in on how your scripture memory is going.

THE BENEFITS OF MEMORIZING SCRIPTURE

• You are preparing yourself spiritually for when trials come. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
• Your prayer life will be greatly enriched by how you can speak the Word of God from memory over others and yourself. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
• You will be a better evangelist for the Gospel. When someone presents you with a theological question, you can simply answer from the truths of God’s Word. (1 Peter 3:15)
• You will be able to teach and encourage other Christians more effectively (Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:18)
• You will be guided through the trials of life when you recall the counsel of the Lord that you have memorized (Psalm 119:105)
• Your mind will become more like Christ, and you will be able to discern His will (Romans 12:2)
• You will feel less anxious because you have the Word of God to battle your thoughts, and you know what God’s plan is for the world (Philippians 4:6-7)
• You will know the commandments of the Lord, which will enable you to be more obedient to Him (John 14:21)
• God will use the verses you have memorized to convict you of sin and bring you to repentance (Psalm 1:1-3, 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Friend, I pray that you find something in this post to help as you memorize scripture. Remember that Satan HATES that you are pursuing holiness in this way, and he will throw temptations into your path to get you off course.

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in your work in the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.