Sunday school teachers and preachers everywhere encourage their listeners to read the Bible daily. Do you ever wonder what the big deal is? Sometimes it feels like one more thing on the to-do list.
The Bible commands us in Joshua 1:8 to “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” It is very hard to do so if we are never reading the Bible.
The question we then need to ask ourselves is: how do we do this? How do we find time amongst our busy schedules to sit and read? How do we stick with it?
Why?
Starting with the first question of why, and of what benefit will this have on my life?
The Bible is God’s word to us. It is how He reveals Himself, the way we are supposed to live, and makes us more aware of our sins. (Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”). The Word of God is the means by which our faith is formed and strengthened. (Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word.”)
More personally and practically, I notice a decrease in my anxiety levels and find that I have a better day when I am able to spend some time reading my Bible first thing in the morning.
How?
Motivation
When I was in 6th grade, my Sunday school teacher told us we should read our Bible every day. I listened and have done so for the vast majority ever since. If you are like me and enjoy following instructions, here is me telling you: Read your Bible!
Know yourself
Before starting a new habit, you need to think about your personality to determine how you can best achieve your goal. Do you need a structured plan? Do you need a challenge or something laid back?
Considering your circumstances is important when deciding how you are going to achieve this goal. A plan that requires 30 minutes of quiet every day might not be achievable for you if you are working full time while raising 3 small children.
Potential Options
Start Small
To build a habit that sticks, it can be beneficial to start small. Choosing to read a chapter or even a parable a day seems much more achievable than reading several chapters. Personally, I prefer to read smaller chunks to allow me to better digest and ponder what I read throughout the day.
Through the Word
I recently finished reading through the Bible one chapter at a time, listening to the Through The Word commentary for each chapter. I really enjoyed this and feel like I learned more about the Bible in the 3.5 years going through this plan than I have in 21 years previously.
An audio commentary such as this can help build a good habit because it is simple, keeps things simple, and you know that if you read something confusing, you will get a nice explanation after.
Don’t give up
The key to any new habit is not to give up. If you miss a day, come back tomorrow. That is why I don’t think a dated plan is a good idea. With my personality at least, if I miss a day, I can’t continue until I have caught up, and after a few days it can seem impossible to do so.
A new Bible reading habit is an excellent thing to make your Monday resolution. For more details, you can check out my post on the beauty of the Monday resolution here.
I hope this was helpful and encouraged you to pick up your Bible and learn more about our perfect Heavenly Father. If you have any tips to share to help others read and study the Word of God, I would love it if you shared in a comment.
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