Do you know God is jealous for you; that He sings over you…or that He yearns for you? Do you know He loves you with an everlasting love and He has given you precious promises that are yours because you’re His? Do you know God has anointed you to do something specific on planet earth? All of these wonderful nuggets of truth are unearthed when we begin our personal dig in the Word of God.
God’s Word is the life-changing source of faith, salvation, wisdom, power, purpose, peace, direction, protection, comfort, forgiveness, redemption, deliverance and direction. Our time in the Word is not something we have to do, it’s something we need!
But, if your day is anything like mine, your plate runneth over and you’re overwhelmed. So much to do, so little time and at times the Word of God sits on the table eager to be read, longing to find its proper place of prominence in your life.
Perhaps you’ve had seasons of structured, consistent time in the Word when you basked in the wonder of His presence and heard the echo of His still small voice. Or maybe you’ve never really known where to begin when it comes to reading the Bible. Wherever you are in your journey, one thing holds true…there is no substitute for time in the Word.
When I find myself drifting from the norm and struggling with my schedule, I sometimes end up neglecting my time in the Word. It’s not that I don’t want to spend time reading the Bible, it’s just hard to put the pieces of my scattered life back together in such a way that my priorities are in order. This I know…when my life is unorganized, my time in the Word tends to be the same way.
I once heard that if you aim for nothing, you will hit it every time. That’s true in life. That’s equally true in our approach to Scripture. To avoid those seasons of half-hearted, haphazard time in the Word we have to have a plan; we have to step back and reevaluate our lives and set things in their proper order.
If you’re not sure where to begin, there are Scripture reading plans readily available. In fact, Kathy Howard has a great chronological Bible reading plan on her website under “Discipleship Tools.” Another Bible reading plan can be found at Christiananswers.net.
If a “through the Bible in a year” plan is more than you can handle right now, there are other plans available. Or you can choose to tackle a specific book or group of books of the BIble. Whatever you do, be sure to set goals. Even if it’s a chapter a day…shoot for the target of time in the Word. Not for the sake of saying you did it or because you want to put a check on your reading schedule, but for your own spiritual growth, to strengthen your faith and to give you the tools and ammunition you need as you face each day.
If we’re going to prioritize our priorities then there are some changes we’ll need to make. But change is absolutely necessary if we’re going to be the women of God we long to be. And like everything else, it’s all about the choices we make.
Whenever we realign our lives to put God first and to spend time in the Word, there’s some juggling we may have to do and some choices we’ll have to make. Let’s look at the list below and begin making our way to the place where His Word takes its rightful place in our day and in our life.
QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF:
CHOOSE A TIME – When is the best time of the day to get alone with God? Do I have to wake up earlier?
CHOOSE A PLACE – Where is the best place to get alone with God?
CHOOSE A PLAN – What is a realistic reading plan for me during this season of my life?
CHOOSE YOUR TOOLS – What is the best way to take notes of how God speaks to my heart, directs my life and answers my prayers?
CHOOSE YOUR TEAM – Who can I talk to about God’s Word that will encourage and challenge me?
CHOOSE YOUR CHOICE – Just do it! Stay committed to the choice I make…even when I feel like I’m going through the motions, even when I’m not sure I’m getting it…I’ve got to keep reading…I’ve got to stay in the Word and continue to seek His face.
There is no substitute for the Word of God. Nothing else can change you from the inside out like the Word of the Living God. Nothing else can give you faith, strength, wisdom and courage like the Bible. So get ready to start digging…there’s nothing like it!
What helps you stay in the Word? Share your struggles or advice?