At her blog Brown Sugar Toast, Christa Threlfall quotes an interview with Kelly Collier to explain two kinds of Bible study: by plow and by trowel. Both kinds should be part of your study diet.
Plow Bible study “moves through large portions of Scripture more quickly, looking for specific themes.” Trowel Bible study is “taking a passage or verse of Scripture and settling in to dig for a long time.” When we write about Bible study at Knowable Word, we normally refer to trowel Bible study. However, we also try to remind you regularly of the need for plow Bible study. For example, see the post on a Bible reading plan for readers.
Threlfall’s/Collier’s explanation of the two types of study will encourage you to press on. Check it out!