If you’re friends with me, or follow me, on Goodreads, you may know that in January of 2021, I started reading the Bible cover to cover again. Last year, I finished reading the Bible in its entirety in mid-December, and on January 2nd of 2022, my husband and I started reading it together each day, out loud.

In this day and time, many Christians make excuses for not reading their Bible. It’s too difficult to read, or, I don’t have enough time, may be reasons why. However, today, I would like to challenge those excuses and reveal the benefits derived from developing a daily Bible-reading habit has had on my life.

Benefit 1) God’s Word Becomes “Sticky” Thoughts

Just like with any other habit you would like to develop, whether it’s exercising or sketching each day, if one makes the intentional decision to sit down and read God’s Word each day, His Word will then begin to weave its way into your mind.

By reading the Bible each day, you’re taking time to meditate on the entirety of God’s Word. The more you meditate on His Word, the more of it you will retain in your mind. The more you retain of the Good News, the more godly thoughts you’ll have at the forefront of your mind.
When you’re faced with specific types of issues, such as not feeling adequate enough to give a presentation at school, you may recall Moses’ issue with speaking in front of the Israelites and how God helped Him through it. In the midst of an anxiety attack, specific verses you recently read, such as Philippians 4:6, which tells us to “be anxious for nothing” may come to mind and ease your troubled heart.

For me, personally, I’ve caught myself several times in the midst of a negative thought, such as thinking how much I dislike how a certain person acts, or how fed up I am about a certain situation “never changing”. Specific Bible verses have come to mind during these episodes, interrupted the negative pattern of thinking, and have made me refocus on what God can do through these situations, relinquishing control to Him. In turn, this has reinforced the lesson to me that God has the ultimate say, and I cannot control everything on my own.

Benefit 2) You Notice More “Coincidental” Events Taking Place, AKA God Moves

Reading the Bible each day, especially when reading it cover-to-cover over a period of time, teaches readers the chronological events that took place within the lineage of David (AKA, the family tree of Jesus), and what is to come for the nation of Israel in the future.

Through reading the Bible cover-to-cover, it has opened my eyes to how imperative it is for Christians to not only keep a watch on current news stories that involve Israel, but to also support the nation, as it is God’s chosen nation.

What does any of this have to do with “coincidental” events or God moves? The Bible predicted that Israel would become a nation again (which happened in 1948) in the book of Ezekiel. This is just one example of the accuracy of the Bible’s predictions. The Bible is full of prophecy of things to come in the future, and while reading the book in its entirety, you will begin to recognize signs of these prophecies as the years go by, such as the beginning of the end times.

Benefit 3) It Causes You to Examine Your Life and Make Changes That Reflect His Word

Perhaps the most beneficial reward of reading the Bible everyday is that it will convict you in such a way that you recognize toxic traits or situations in your own life, and the Word leads you to want to change in a way that honors God and follows Jesus’ example.

For me, this involved “letting go” of my grip on my author career (as I mentioned heavily in the Writing by Faith series), casting away my lust for a “profitable” career and allowing God to lead instead, trusting Him to allow my books to reach readers who need them. The Bible also revealed that I have a toxic behavior of holding grudges toward people who have either done me wrong or have treated my family poorly. Reading the Bible daily reminded me that I am “to pray for those who hurt me”, and that God will deliver justice when and where He sees fit. While I am still working on adopting these changes daily, reading God’s Word has shown me why these changes are so vital, and that those behaviors had previously made me stray from God and His leadership.

Overall

Even though the Bible is a thick and intimidating read, by taking the time to read just a few chapters a day, I promise you that developing this habit will offer nothing but benefits to not only your walk with God, but to every aspect of your life as well. You will begin to recognize how God’s Hand guides all things, and your faith will grow substantially.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

How often do you read the Bible? How has reading God’s Word positively affected your spiritual walk?
Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.
-Allyson 😀