Building the Habit of Daily Bible Reading
There is a battle we all struggle through--which habits will we have in our lives? We can have good habits (exercise, eating healthy) and bad habits (no exercise, eating badly). Spiritually, we can have anchor habits. An anchor habit is a pattern that helps us grow spiritually, a small, regular step toward God and what He has for us. Examples of anchor habits are things like: praying regularly, being involved in a Bible study group, going to church, being generous, and having an attitude of surrender toward God.
And there is one anchor habit that positively impacts all areas of our lives: daily Bible reading.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
In this blog, I’ll cover some practical steps to help you build up a daily habit of reading the Bible.
1. Pray for a hunger for God’s Word.
How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. Psalm 119:103 NLT
Those encouraging words show us the writer’s hunger and love for God’s Word. Praying such a prayer will be a prayer God would love to answer.
2. Set a definite time.
One key to starting a good habit (especially an anchor habit) is to schedule a specific time for reading the Bible. For some early morning is the best. For others, the best times are during lunch or before going to bed.
A specific time helps build this habit into our lives. There are many tools to help you. For example, the YouVersion Bible app will text you the verse of the day at whatever time you choose each day.
3. Engage with God’s Word.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
There are a couple of amazing studies on what propels you in your spiritual growth. The Reveal Study took 400,000 people in all 50 states and tracked them over a period of years to find out what helped the most in spiritual growth. They looked at church attendance, serving others, and going on mission trips among other possibilities. The number one thing that was two times more helpful than anything else was those who daily engage with God’s Word.
The Center for Bible Engagement did a similar study. They found that those who engaged in the Bible at least four times a week were 30% less lonely, had 32% less destructive thoughts, were 228% more likely to share their faith, had 62% less alcohol abuse, and had 59% less pornography use. Daily reading of God’s Word is an anchor habit that affects other areas of your life.
I’d encourage you to pray a prayer that has helped me as I start my Bible reading:
“Jesus, I turn my heart to You now. Let me see the path You have for me. Correct the course of my life. Help me to see Your truth today.”
A daily Bible reading habit will lay a foundation for your Christian life, strengthen your faith and help you to grow spiritually in other areas of your life.