I didn’t start reading the Bible every day until after my kids were born. I do remember reading daily devotionals from Our Daily Bread in college, but I don’t count that because my Bible wasn’t opened during those reading times. I think I would have had the habit of daily reading the Bible sooner if I had followed the following simple suggestions.
Choose a Bible version that will be used.
I was gifted a study Bible when I started attending weekly Bible Study regularly while in college. It was a word-for-word translation and great for studying the Bible verse by verse, but not for reading through like a regular book. Now I have several versions on my phone. For a while, I had the Verse of the Day notification in Hawaii Pidgin. For reading the whole Bible in a year, I prefer a meaning-for-meaning translation. When I go for my walk, I can listen to the audio version of the Bible.
Pick a plan or devotional.
Our Daily Bread devotionals are still around, so if you use that or any devotional that has the scripture on the page, make sure you read the scriptures surrounding that verse in your own Bible. Reading the devotional is not the same thing as reading the Bible. I now use an app that has several plans from 3 days to a year to choose from and includes different versions of Bibles, too.
Set a time to read.
Blocking time in my calendar actually works for me. So if it wasn’t scheduled, it wouldn’t be done. Bible reading was not on my schedule. For a season, I decided I would read the Bible while I ate breakfast. I always have breakfast (it’s the meal that breaks my fast), so that was my way to start reading the Bible daily.
Follow the plan.
I like to check things off when I do them. In the beginning, on some days, that’s the only reason I picked up my Bible and read it. I could check that off my list and say I did it. Now my app has a streak count and I feel bad when I miss a day, but I just continue where I left off. The app has a tool to catch me up so that it looks like I caught up again.
Just 4 simple suggestions to help start a habit of reading the Bible daily. I would like to thank my friend, Mayron, for introducing the Bible App to me. It has encouraged and challenged me to seek God every day. The app has badges that keep track of the number of plans completed, the number of times a whole Bible plan was completed, notes, highlights, bookmarks, shared verses, and daily refresh. It’s been a great help in my spiritual growth. You should give it a try, too.
Prayer
Dear God in heaven,
Thank you for giving us the Scriptures so that we can learn more about you and what is true. Help us to make time to read Your words and to put them into practice. We want to glorify You with what we do.
In Your Son’s name, Amen
Verses
John 1:12; 3:16; 8:42, 47
2 Timothy 3:16
Song
“B-I-B-L-E” song but I couldn’t find a lyric video that was for adults so “Thy Word” by Amy Grant
Call to action
If you have already prayed, read the verses, and listened to the suggested song, then find a Bible reading plan or a devotional that seems interesting to you. Or use the Bible App. Then set up a time to read the Bible every day. Put it on your calendar so that it is on your schedule. Keep trying different things until reading the Bible every day is a habit.