I believe that the Bible is God-breathed; it is the inspired word of God. I have believed this since I was a little girl. I also believe that just like any other book, you can read through it in its entirety yet miss all of the wisdom, because you’re not truly open to listen to it.
I always wanted to read the Bible from cover to cover, but whenever I thought about it, the number of pages and complexity overwhelmed me. I knew that it would be a huge time commitment that I wasn’t ready for, so I read a few books of the Bible here and there, memorized some of the most popular verses, and figured that was enough for now.
Somewhere along the way, I’ve realized that all the Godly men and women I’ve admired have one common denominator: they are faithful Christians who read the Bible regularly (shoutout to you mom!). They have studied it numerous times, have a repertoire of Bible verses when they face hard times, and they are always ready to respond when someone is struggling – because they are filled with wisdom directly from the Bible.
I finally decided that I’m out of excuses on why I can’t possibly read the entire Bible in one year; I decided to do something about it. The ONLY way to have a deep understanding of God and his character and to grow in my faith is to dive deep into the Bible.
Discipleship Journey Bible Reading Plan
I looked through a number of 1 year Bible reading plans – it’s crazy how many different ones are out there – but ultimately I chose the Discipleship Journey Bible Reading Plan. Simply put – this plan goes through a few books of the Bible at a time. It alternates between the New and Old Testament so it’s a great balance of content. There are only 25 days of reading per month (some of the earlier plans have break days throughout the month), which is perfect for reading ahead, taking a day off, reflecting on past readings, or more often in my case – catching up on past readings!
I’m a few months into the plan and I’ve got a good rhythm going each week. I’m excited to accomplish reading the Bible from cover to cover! Has it been easy so far? No, not exactly, but it is soo worth the struggle. There have been days where I’ve had to stay focused and push through the parts of the Bible that aren’t as enjoyable to read: cumbersome details about ancestry, burnt offerings and instructions, and lots of violence. Sometimes I have to reread passages because I’m not sure what the takeaway should be and I understand how there can be several interpretations. Then there are chapters that are very encouraging, positive, and filled with wisdom and stories that make me say wow!
Spiritual Goals for the Year
At the end of the first month of this plan, I asked myself what I hope to gain from reading through the Bible this year…
- Have a better understanding of God and his character
- Listen intently to God’s voice as he speaks to me
- Pray continually that he would direct my steps and open my eyes to new goals
- Be comfortable sharing my testimony and more vulnerable future posts
- Make a list of new verses to save and memorize
Impact of Bible Reading
The biggest thing I’ve noticed as I’m reading the Bible is the amount of peace I feel as I read each word. For that small amount of time, my worries melt away – which is huge for someone who struggles with anxiety – and I feel confident, strong, and loved. Not every passage in the Bible is going to move me in big ways, which is okay. I will stay the path.
I’m hoping at the end of this that I will have a better connection with God and he will transform me into a better version of myself. I believe now more than ever that reading God’s Word is the best way to grow spiritually and to live out my faith.
With the same confidence that I can tell you I’m breathing right now, I can tell you that God is real. In other words, if you surrender yourself completely to God and listen for him to speak to you, he will. Whether you’ve been a Christian for years, or you’re a new believer, I challenge you to open the Bible and just start reading. You will get out what you put in!
What Bible reading plans have you used? Which one do you recommend?
