Happy 2012! One of the standard – almost required – resolutions believers make is some type of Bible reading plan or commitment. Unfortunately, those resolutions have no more success than any of the others, and somewhere around February or Leviticus, whichever comes first, those great intentions fall by the wayside. Here are some ideas to help you stick to your plan.
- Choose the right plan. A straight-through-the-Bible plan may not be your best fit. If the books of Moses or the prophets are especially difficult, try a New Testament plan, or maybe stick with Psalms. It may also help to have a new Bible or some other motivator. My daughter got a set of pens for Christmas that are especially suited for Bible study, so she's a little more excited about reading now.
- Check your schedule. I study in the morning before my kids wake up. You may do better reading before bedtime, or at lunch or while you're waiting to pick up your kids. Find a good niche and make that reading time. Try writing it on your calendar like you would any other appointment.
- Change your perspective. Don't look at reading time as a chore, or something else on your to do list. Make it a break from all the others things pulling at you.
- Commit. Ten minutes. That's about all the time it takes to read through a chapter and pray. It may not sound like much, but if you're going from zero now to ten minutes, the impact will be life changing.
- Share your progress. Let your spouse, a friend or your small know how you're doing, and soak in that encouragement. You might even consider enlisting a buddy to read with you for mutual support.
Blessings on you as you read!
What is the hardest thing about getting in the habit of reading your Bible? What strategies have you used to help you stick to reading? What plan do you use?
Thanks for letting me know! Good luck with your studying 🙂
This came at the perfect time!! I’m trying to get back into the swing of studying. I have a simple reading plan (reading the whole thing; having an NLT really helps) and then I have different study groups that do studying. I think my biggest problem is setting aside time. I always say I have no time, but then the day is done and I had hours of time. So I’m going to need to set aside time.
Perfect post for me!