A Few Thoughts on Reading

In his classic work, How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler writes, “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you.” In order for good books “to get through to you,” consider some of the following…

Schedule uninterrupted time to read

In other words, make reading a priority in your daily schedule. With so many distractions and things jockeying for our attention, thoughtful, reflective reading can easily go by the wayside. For the glory of God, the good of your soul, and the usefulness of your life, don’t let this happen! For at least a couple of evenings every week, pretend your Amish, unplug your i-life, turn off the TV, break from social media, and grab your Bible or a good Christian book (for some recommendations, click here). Believe me, you won’t regret it!

Develop the skill of active reading

Because we are bombarded with snippets of literature on a daily basis, most of us have developed very poor reading habits. We scan an article or social media post, hit “like” or “share,” and then move on to whatever else catches our eye. Active reading, however, is methodical, thoughtful, interactive, and reflective.

Good readers are not passive consumers, but active detectives. They seek to discover not only the what, but the why and how of what the author is communicating. They interact (dare I say, even dialogue) with the text, probing into its meaning, significance, and application.

To develop the discipline of active reading, I would highly recommend that you read with a pen in your hand, underlining key points or ideas. Write down questions, insights, and various other comments in the margins of the book. Carefully note how an argument, plot, or character is being developed. These kind of active reading practices will help you not only interact with the book in a vibrant, intellectually healthy manner, but also retain a lot more of what you have read.

Prayerfully reflect on what you’ve just read

This is a hugely important discipline to cultivate. Edmund Burke once noted that, “Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” We often fail to retain what we’ve read (or grow from it) because we don’t spend time reflecting and/or writing afterwards.

So how does prayerful reflection work? Let me suggest a few practices that I’ve found helpful over the years. After reading a passage from the Scriptures or a Christian book, go back and read over your highlights, notes, or comments (if possible, out loud). Write out a brief summary or highlight from what you’ve just read. Then, take time to pray about the truth, challenge, or insight you gained. This prayer might be an offering of praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and/or petition. You may even choose to write out your prayer. Finally, share insights or lessons you learned from your reading with someone else.

Conclusion

Transformative reading doesn’t just happen. It requires disciple, hard work, and commitment. The benefits, however, of actively reading and prayerfully reflecting on the Scriptures or other good Christians books are more than worth the effort.