Near the end of November, I finished reading the Bible through which makes twice for 2017. The first time I read it through in one month. The second time was on a three month plan. As I did for my first time, I thought I would share my thoughts.
The three month plan is my favorite time frame so far! Many, many years, I have read the Bible through in one year. It equals out to about four chapters a day. In fact, I remember the first time I read the entire Bible through. I was a teenager - I don't remember how old exactly. I do remember it being Christmas vacation and I was a little behind on my plan and I wanted to finish so badly - I read and caught up and made my goal. I read my Bible through for the first time.
It was a big thing to me. I had a spiritual goal and I completed it - on my own!
After that year, I read it through the year many times. Not every year but many. Then this year, I made my big goal of reading it through in one month time. That was a big goal but oh, so worth it!
It was total immersion of my life into God and His Words.
Then I decided to read it again this year on a three month plan. I liked the three month plan because I couldn't just sit down and read a couple verses and be done. It was many chapters a day - probably on the average about 45 minutes. Many people can spend hours binge watching media every day - in reality, 45 minutes is a small portion of your time.
I found that it gave my heart time to soften and really soak in what I was reading.
It gave it time to affect my heart to change.
Too often, we don't give God that true quality time. I would liken it to going on a date with your spouse on your lunch break. You drive ten minutes to meet them at a restaurant. Have ten minutes to eat. And ten minutes to drive back. Bam! You spent time with them, right? That's what counts, right?
Compare that to a nice sit down meal in the evening at your favorite restaurant. You don't have anywhere to be and you can take your time - quality time. Much different.
And you will feel much different if you truly give that quality time to Him.
Stop giving him the little three minute devotional and you are done for the day. It truly makes a difference.
I found that it made me crave God's Word.
I felt empty and hungry when I was done with the plan. I wanted to read more - to take in more truth into my soul. I wanted to do it all over again. It truly satisfied.
It helped keep my perspective right. Maybe because I focused on Him and not me. Whenever we are focused on us, it is so difficult to truly focus on Him.
Remember what I said - it gave it time to affect my heart to change? Perhaps that leads to that last thought...
Hard changes happened. I feel I became a different person in Christ. That's not a cliché Christian saying for me - it is real. And as my husband says, You can't argue a changed life. And you know most of all if change is genuine and totally real because you can't fool yourself.
The other night, I was sitting on my daughter's bed letting her talk out some frustrations and hurts. I saw a lot of me in her. I knew what she was feeling. I shared some words of love to her and I shared my story of reading through the Bible and how it changed my heart. I challenged her to try to do the same in a year and to let God change her. The next day, I saw a notification on my Bible app that she had started the Year Bible Reading plan.
No, it isn't a magic formula. It isn't a religious thing you are required to do. But it could be a start for your story. And hers. Maybe one day, she will have her own story of her journey of her relationship with God's Word and the change that began back when she was 14 years old.
What is the story of your journey with Him? If you don't have one, start it today.
