In my last post, I promised to share a few things that helped me stay consistent when I first started with a daily Bible reading routine. I hope you’ll find some of these tips helpful.
Perspective
A question that puts things into perspective is: Have you brushed your teeth today? You probably wouldn’t consider leaving the house without brushing your teeth, applying make-up, and spending some time on your hair. You’re probably not spending the day in your pajamas, either!
Daily Bible reading doesn’t require a dramatic life-change. Simply start by putting aside the same amount of time that it takes for you to brush your teeth, and use it to read one verse or Scripture passage (you can even do it while brushing your teeth!). Let that small amount of time be your starting point.
Consistency
Half the battle is getting into a regular routine. Once you decide that keeping a space of time for Bible reading is more important than brushing your teeth, drinking your morning coffee, or putting on your makeup, the next big battle is determining how long that space of time will be.
Start Small
If you’ve failed many times at this, let me encourage you to start small. By starting small, I mean you can read as little as one verse—but read it while asking God to open your eyes to what this verse means, why He recorded it in Scripture, and how He wants you to apply it to your life. Mull over questions like these as you’re driving to work or separating the laundry.
Season Matters
My daily Bible study routine looks much different today than when I had preschoolers, or than it does on a morning when I’ve spent the night in the hospital with a loved one. When in a hectic season of life, if you’ve established a regular routine, you don’t have to let life’s interruptions keep you from at least reading and praying through a passage in the midst of the busyness.
Accountability Helps
Doing a Bible study with a small group of friends can help you stay consistent. When I first committed to a regular devotional time, that wasn’t an option as I couldn’t find a friend to be an accountability partner, so my journal held me accountable. Writing down the date and the passage I was reading let me see whether I was consistent.
Gotta Get to Bed!
You might prefer having your devotional time just before you slip off to sleep or when your kiddos are taking their nap, but I’ve found that I need to get the Word in me and on my mind before I start interacting with others in the morning. That means, if I’m getting up early to meet with the Lord—I’ve got to make getting to bed the night before a priority.
Going Further
As you begin to drink daily from the milk of the Word, your appetite will increase, and soon you’ll want to adjust your schedule to go beyond just reading to actually studying the Word. Again, starting out small is wise; don’t put yourself in a position to fail by setting unrealistic goals. Revive Our Hearts has great resources that can be used for daily Bible study—even reading through the daily radio transcripts and researching the related Scripture references will provide solid meat for spiritual growth.
I’d love to hear tips from you on what helps you stay in the Word daily!
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