Reading the Bible
The one habit that has the most potential to transform your life is reading the Bible every day. Integrating this practice into your morning or evening routine can be a powerful Catalyst for personal growth spiritual nourishment and a deep connection with your faith.
When I gave my heart to Jesus it was the start of a big transformation in my life but we all know that as life goes on we get busy day to-day stuff and it becomes so easy to get caught in the current. I say my faith is the most important thing to me but how do I make sure it really is? There were times when I would go months not reading the Bible, other than what was projected on the screen on a Sunday morning. So I want to share with you some practical ways that I make sure I’m reading the Bible every day. Show you how I have made reading the Bible a habit. Let’s go!
#1 Build it in to your routines
A successful habit involves creating a successful plan. If you have not read Atomic Habits by James Clear… oh my goodness go get this book. You have to pick a system that works for you but whatever it is, just make sure that it becomes so easy, that it’s such a no-brainer and you create a situation where you would really have to go out of your way not to read the Bible. For me, I looked at my morning routine. I get up I make breakfast. I literally sit at the same spot in the table and I made a rule that there are no phones or tablets allowed on the table. I only have my Bible, a pen, a piece of paper and my readers. And then I make it a rule that I read at least one chapter. I take a moment to write down one principle that I learned and then I I get up and finish my morning routine. I keep everything on the table for the next morning so I am ready to go again. If you have very limited space then designate a particular area where you keep everything so that when you get in your morning routine, you just have to go grab everything and read the Bible and put it back to where it needs to go.
The next thing I do, and this is really more of a backup plan, is if I for whatever reason can’t read in the morning… I make sure that I’m listening to the Bible on my commute. If I have to miss it, this is my backup plan. Thank goodness we have the Bible app with audio versions on it. If I can’t listen to my car, then I make it a rule that before I go to bed I have to have read at least one chapter of the Bible. If I’m traveling, this becomes a bigger challenge but again, thank goodness we have the Bible app, and we can take it anywhere.
I’m not the Bible police by any means. I’m just sharing what’s worked for me and I have measurement to prove it. I have a habit tracker that I update every day. I went from reading the Bible maybe one to two days a month to now I’m averaging 25 to 28 days a month. I said it was important to me so I wanted to make sure that I’m doing it. That is why I’m measuring it but I invite you to create a system that works best for your life, for your routine.
What is the best time of day for you to read? What steps can you take to make sure that you have read? What are your backup plans in case you miss things?
Do you need to get up 10 minutes earlier or go to bed 10 minutes later? That can be a part of your successful system. The important is you define it. By making Bible reading a priority for you, find ways to integrate that behavior into your life.
#2 Small Groups
If you are not in a small group at your church, you have missed a big opportunity to read your Bible. I have a women’s group that meets every two weeks. We usually pick a study to go through together and we hop on a zoom call to talk about what we’ve read. This automatically motivates me to read my Bible. First, I don’t want to let the group down. Second, I certainly don’t want to look unprepared and third, I really don’t want to miss the opportunity to participate in the conversation. This type of peer pressure works for me. I am reading my Bible. Maybe you don’t have a small group and you’re part of a formal Sunday school class where the teacher may read the Bible. There may be lessons and discussions that come out of the class but just by putting yourself in this type of setting, it automatically encourages you to read your Bible. Get involved with a group!
# Email and Text
I am the type of person that can’t have unread messages in my inbox or bubble notifications on my phone. Maybe you’re the same or maybe you’re like my husband, and he just lets it run out of control with bubbles all over the place! Either way the lesson I want to share with you is to know yourself. Tap into your patterned behavior to build a habit. In this case, I signed up for an automated email every day. I get one Bible verse in my email inbox every day and I made it a personal rule that I can’t can’t delete it until I’ve read it. It’s my system to make sure that I’m reading the Bible. Maybe you have a behavior that you can tap into like this? If you want to start by signing up for a daily email or text it is found on the Bible app for free!
There you have it! Those are my top three ways that I have integrated reading the Bible into my life: my routine, my small group and my email inbox. It’s not my pastor’s responsibility to get me to read my Bible and really Sunday mornings just aren’t enough. We have to be intentional.
Romans 12:2 says… do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is, good and acceptable and perfect.
Renewing our minds is a daily habit. For me, I have chosen to make reading the Bible a priority and have found a habit systems that works. I encourage you to find your own system and watch how your life will change! You can do this!
