Why you don’t have to read the Bible
I used to dread reading the Bible.
I’ll never forget the year I decided I had to finish reading the Bible by my 18th birthday. I had read most of it, but I still had several books in the Old Testament to complete in a few weeks. I did the math and decided to read 8 chapters a day to meet my goal.
I’m sure you can imagine how that went. It was great for a day, maybe two before I fell HARD. “It's fine,” I thought. “I’ll just read 16 chapters tomorrow and be back on track!”
Pro tip: If you want to fail hard at reading the Bible and hate your experience, set a lofty, unrealistic goal.
I did not finish reading the Bible by my birthday, and I don’t remember anything I learned from God’s Word in that season.
Thankfully my heart has changed a lot since then. I now value quality over quantity. I value my heart posture as I approach God’s word. I don’t want to approach it like a chore or an item on my to-do list. I want to be excited to meet with my Saviour!
If reading the Bible feels heavy today, I want to remind you of something.
You don’t have to read the Bible.
You don’t have to read it to earn your salvation, increase God’s love for you, or increase your value. Each of those is already in place and outside of your control.
You couldn’t earn your salvation if you tried. It's a free gift if you choose to accept it.
I grew up in church hearing that God’s love is unconditional. I’m incapable of messing up hard enough for God to stop loving me. Maybe you’ve seen evidence of this in your own life when you return to God after sinning or when you meet people living for Jesus who have a past so rough you can’t even fathom it. This idea has always felt easy for my brain to accept. Since God is perfect, He can love us perfectly.
But when I found out I couldn’t make God love me more, I had a hard time. I tend to be motivated by achievement, and as a kid, I wanted to please authority figures. The idea of earning extra “points” somehow felt appealing for a long time!
When I feel frantic wondering if I’m “doing” enough for God, it helps me to remember:
My value isn’t based on my Bible-reading habits
I AM a person who reads the Bible whether I pick it up today or not
My heart posture matters more than how many chapters I read or how early I wake up
Instead of treating time with God as a chore or an item on my to-do list, I now feel free to delight in time with my saviour. (I go over this more in my Bible-reading course for moms)
So why do I read the Bible?
I enjoy it!
I want to learn more about my saviour and spend time with Him. Reading God’s word is a simple way to invite Him back into my everyday life and invite Him to speak to me.
It helps me remain strong in my faith
It’s easy to forget why I want to live a certain way when I lose touch with God. Like the old hymn says “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” The things of earth only grow dim when we’re tethered to Him. Anger, envy, greed, sorrow, anxiety and pride become appealing if I become disconnected.
This study shows reading the bible 4 or more times per week translates to 57% lower odds of getting drunk, 61% lower odds of watching pornography and 74% lower odds of gambling.
I see fruits in my life
When I spend time with the Lord, I feel refreshed and encouraged. I feel more peace and joy in my own heart and more gentle and patient with the ones I love. Basically, all the fruits of the spirit seem to be more present! (Galatians 5:22-23)
I want to model for my children what it means to walk with God
I want them to see me turn to Him in my weakest moments and for daily renewal. I want them to grow up not just going to church on Sundays, but learning what it truly means to walk with God. I want to read my Bible when my kids are awake and watching. I want to discuss Bible stories together.
