GODLY HABITS ARE HARD TO PERSEVERE IN
I have a confession. Every two years I try to read through the Bible in one year. I usually fail and don’t finish. I always start strong but take a hit around Leviticus. 1 and 2 Chronicles are particularly rough (“Didn’t I just read this?”). Then I get behind. Then I have to decide whether to speed-read, skip sections, or remove the pressure by “giving up.”
I set out to achieve a goal that I failed in keeping. Then my devotional time with the Lord can become a source of guilt rather than means of greater joy in God. It’s not so much that I think God is displeased with me. All my righteousness is found in Christ, amen? But I get displeased with myself for not doing what I set out to do.
Maybe you can relate. We all have tensions between “the ideal” and “the real.”
Reading through the Bible in a year is a wonderful practice, in theory. Reading and meditating on the Word of God is central in keeping our hearts for God. Theoretically it is only about 20-30 minutes of reading a day. It seems so achievable (and it is).
But when I get behind on my reading plan, I start to feel a tension between reading to “check the box” and reading to fellowship with my heavenly Father. Prayer, slow meditation on scripture, and silence are also essential to a healthy walk with God.
I have read about a trend on blogs and Reddit threads that sneers at having a “quiet time” each day as spiritually heavy-handed or legalistic. I can understand that sentiment because there is no command to read through the Bible EVERY day. When the Bible was written, most people couldn’t read and the printing press hadn’t been invented, so very few people had the Bible in their home.
We should not feel guilt over not conforming to a particular standard of private devotional practice. We are all in different life stages, and God cares more about our heart for Him than how much time exactly we spend reading the Bible and praying.
That said, we do want to obey scripture’s many commands to walk with God and have His Word alive in our hearts.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:7–8.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Colossians 3:16
“My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:20-23
God cares immensely about our hearts, and we keep our hearts aflame for Him, in part, through listening to and reading Scripture. We obey these commands by regularly engaging with God’s Word both in private and in the community of the church.
GO FAR, TOGETHER
You’ve heard it said, “If you want to go fast go alone, and if you want to go far, go together.”
Most good habits are helped by togetherness. I have learned over the years that I exercise a lot more consistently when I make plans to exercise with other men who will push me and hold me accountable.
1. A Two-Year Reading Plan: I propose to our church that we read through the Bible OVER TWO YEARS, while partnering up with 2-3 other brothers or sisters in the church to give ongoing encouragement and prayer. This will begin in January 2026.
Reading through the Bible over two years gives you more time to slow down and meditate on what you’re reading (or listening to) than one year. It gives you more time to pray. Say for example you strive to set aside 30 minutes for a daily quiet time. You can spend 10 minutes reading, 10 minutes prayerfully meditating on what you’ve read, and 10 minutes praying for yourself and others.
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:12–13.
2. Go far, Together: Reading in community helps immensely. Together we can accomplish so much more than we can alone. Groups can decide whether to meet up, or text, or videochat, or check in at another regular meeting (like Gospel Life Groups). Do whatever works best for the whole group. Men will group with men, and women with women. The heart of this is not to guilt one another. The heart of his is to inspire and encourage one another to press on in doing a hard thing for the right reasons. Ask questions like:
- How has your Bible reading and prayer time been a source of joy for you?
- What has been challenging for you in your spiritual disciplines?
- Has the Lord been revealing anything to you recently that you’re paying attention to?
Sometimes we will need the exhortation to press on. Sometimes we will need the encouragement that it’s okay to get behind and skip a section.
I also love the idea of the whole church embarking on this two-year journey through the scriptures together.
How to Join a Group: Try partnering with the people of the same gender in your Gospel Life Group. Or, make plans with some friends in the church. If you’d like help getting in a group, fill out this form and the staff will connect you with a group. It’s great if couples do this together, but I recommend still having a group of men or women that you’re connecting with regularly.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS TWO-YEAR PLAN
CLICK HERE FOR A TWO-YEAR THROUGH-THE-BIBLE PLAN*
At first glance, I know this document looks overwhelming and dense. Remember, if you want to go far (in godly habits), go together. The memorization part may tip the scales into “too much” for some of us. But others may welcome the challenge.
- A two year reading plan provides more time for slow, meditative, prayerful fellowship with God.
- The Proverbs, Psalms, and Luke are read each year, and either a Proverb or Psalm is read daily. The Psalms and Proverbs are particularly helpful in becoming wiser and teaching us to pray.
- It alternates NT and OT readings so you’re not reading the OT only for the first 16 months.
- It is semi-chronological.
- It’s so good to read about Jesus in Luke during the Christmas season, so each December is in Luke.
- There’s a column of Fighter Verses, which is a verse memorization plan that groups can choose to recite to one another. Fighter Verses are also great to read and discuss as a family round the meal table as a simple family devotional. You can access Fighter Verses from the smartphone app, from the website, or from your Bible. The app has additional tools to help you memorize. Even if you don’t memorize the weekly verses, they are a helpful tool for meditating on scripture in the down moments of our day.
- Note that you can read or listen to the Bible. Both are legitimate ways to engage with God’s Word. In my opinion, reading is the best option, but listening is better than nothing.
Remember this: Read to fellowship with your Abba Father, not to finish your daily reading.
(*The order of this Bible reading plan is borrowed from a blog I found online: Teach What is Good)