Benefits of a Color-Code

This post was originally published as Bible Study Made Simple podcast episode 16, Benefits of a Color-Code. You can listen here.

If you have spent any time on Instagram or Pinterest, you have probably seen pages of a color-filled Bible with notes and highlighters. You may have even seen people use a specific color-code when studying their Bible. Why are these color-codes important? Let’s talk about it. 

I am Eva Kubasiak, and this is Bible Study Made Simple. Have you ever felt intimidated or confused by the Bible? Or maybe you have started studying the Bible before but haven’t found a way to incorporate it into your regular routine. The Bible Study Made Simple podcast is here to help you move from intimidated and confused to confident and joyful in your approach to Scripture, and help you find a routine that sticks. The goal isn’t checking off a box perfectly, but instead, our goal is an intimate connection with the God of the Bible - plus having tons of fun along the way! 

The very first way that I learned how to engage with God’s Word was through a color-code. My dad pulled me into his chair in the living room and taught me how to respectfully underline in my Bible. 

Almost 20 years later, I am still using this same color-code. Each of my Bibles follows what God was teaching me through that season based on what is underlined or noted in that particular Bible. It is such a great testimony of His work in my life. 

A color-code is a specific organizational system for different things that you come across when reading or studying the Bible. This is different from the Bible journaling with pictures and paintings in your Bible to meditate on a specific verse. That has it’s place, but that is not what we are talking about today. We are going to be talking about the organization of a color-code.

Obviously, if I have been using a color-code for almost 20 years I am a big fan of them! But what are the benefits? And Why is a color-code important to Bible study? 

The first reason I like a color-code is that it shows you what to look for. A color-code gently nudges your brain to the focus of Bible study, and that focus is who God is. 

All too often, we read the Bible looking for what it says about us, but that’s not the point! The Bible is a book about God, and we should read it to get to know Him better. When we use a color-code, and even more specifically, one that highlights who God is, our brain is reminded each time we open the Bible to look for Him, not to look for us. 

The first benefit of using a color-code is that it draws us back to who God is. 

The next benefit is that using a color-code helps us mark what we are learning. When you write down and mark what you are learning, you are more likely to remember it. I have years and years of markings in my Bible that show me just what God was teaching me in each season, and I can go back and find verses that were comforting for me, verses that challenged me, and truths that I discovered about God, as I was engaging with His Word. 

Using a color-code will help you remember what you are learning, and be able to come back to it and see what God has done in your life. 

The next benefit of a color-code is that it helps break down larger portions of text into easier to understand bites. Have you ever read something in the Bible and then thought, “what in the world did I just read?!” I know that I have!

When you use a color-code, you can look for some specific things in the text that will help you to understand those confusing parts. I started color-coding around 10 years old, and in a few weeks I will turn 29. No matter where you are on your Bible study journey, I know that color-coding will help! 

Color-coding helps us look for God, it helps us remember what we are learning, and it helps us break down larger portions of Scripture into easier to understand bites. 

And finally, color-coding gives you a good starting point. If you remember in episode 6 we talked about there being a difference between reading and studying the Bible. So often, we read the Bible but never break into studying it. But a color-code is an easy way to get into studying the Bible without the intimidation that can come along with it. 

The Bible is a big book. I get it. It can be intimidating to sit down and crack it open. But sitting down with some fun pens to look for God? Now that’s just a good time. 

Color-coding was the first thing that drew me in to studying the Bible, and it has been how God has consistently and faithfully pulled me towards Himself through His Word. I would love for you to experience that same life-change. 

As you take the next step towards God through Bible study, here’s a prayer for you: 

Father, I want my Bible study time to be fun. I want to look for You, and I want to find You on the pages of Your Word. Sometimes, my heart isn’t in my Bible study. But even when my heart isn’t there, I know that You are. Amen. 

If you are wanting to get started with a color-code, head to evakubasiak.com/color to sign up. If you are interested in hearing more, the next 2 episodes of the podcast will be all about color-codes, so make sure you are subscribed and don’t miss an episode. 

As we close, I pray that you remember our goal is connection with God over perfection in our process. Remember, your time with God doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.