READ THE BIBLE IN 2021 by Staff for Core Christianity
As the new year approaches, many of us will start making plans and setting goals. We’re ready to put all the unachieved ambitions of the previous year behind us—to start fresh with renewed resolve. And, for Christians, here’s a goal that often tops the list: “This year, I’m going to read my Bible.”
But we all know how that story goes. We print off our reading plan, start January 1st, get behind by January 5th, and give up altogether mid-March.
Reading the Bible is one of the best habits we can cultivate. God has promised to nourish us by his Word—Scripture shows us God’s character, equips us in our fight against sin (Ps 119:20), makes us more like Jesus (John 17:17), convicts us (Heb 4:12), and comforts us (Ps 107:20). Most of all, this life-giving Word reveals God’s love for us in Christ, the Word made flesh (John 1:14).
Now is your chance to support Gospel News Network.
We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
Despite all these glorious promises attached to Scripture, we still often struggle to persevere in reading it for at least three reasons:
#1: We don’t get it.
The Bible is a difficult book! It’s hard to persevere in reading something we don’t always understand. The Bible contains difficult and complex passages of Scripture, but you don’t need to understand everything the first time. This is the beauty of building a habit of Bible reading: Like a piece of great literature, the Bible has layers of complexity that can be read and reread, each time leading to new insights and understanding. As you become a more experienced Bible reader, you will continue to grow in your understanding.
#2: We don’t feel it.
Though we know reading our Bibles is supposed to help us know and love God more, making us comforted and aware of his presence, many days our reading feels dry and detached. But God is faithful! He’s at work even when we can’t see it—or feel it. It helps to begin our Bible reading with prayer, asking God to open our hearts to receive what Scripture teaches, to enjoy his presence while reading, and to gain insight and understanding into his grace and mercy. But we should also end our time in prayer, and sometimes that prayer sounds like, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Reading the Bible is an act of faith. As we read, we trust that God will use his Word to accomplish his purposes in us (Isaiah 55:11).
