When Your Bible Time Goes Stale
I pulled out my Bible to complete my Bible reading. I finished Revelation 22. The last book and chapter of the Bible. It was December 31 and I had done it again. I’d read the Bible through in a year.
In the past, when my son was so sick and required 24/7 care, there were months I didn’t have the time or energy to even open my Bible to read one verse. This was before smart phones, YouVersion audio Bibles, and Audible. So, if I was holding my screaming son who was in pain, I couldn’t be holding my Bible.
For several years now, I’ve had the privilege of being able to read the Bible through in one year. (I really like the chronological format.) Yet, as I closed my Bible this December, I knew I needed a different focus for the coming year. I could feel how it had become more of a task to complete, a goal to achieve, rather than time spent with my Father.
With the new year, I like to take time to set some goals for the coming year. I evaluate where our family has been, strengths, weaknesses, needs, vision for life, work, family members, self. I think about what has been working and what has not been working. I think about what or how I dream of being and of what and who I dream of my kids becoming and set some intentional steps to move us in that direction.
If you’ve spent any time goal setting, you’ve probably heard of SMART goals. Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. Reading the Bible through in one year fits that metric perfectly. Yet, I knew that repeating that goal again this year would not get me where I wanted to go. It wouldn’t help me with who I want to be and to become.
My real goal is to know God more; to love God fully; to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle, and self-disciplined; and to abide and rest in Him because all those things I just listed are a result of Him in me. Those goals are a little harder to define as a SMART goal and for me to make them into SMART goals would defeat the purpose.
Next week I’ll share with you my solution and what I’ve chosen to do this year as well as some suggestions for how to get some Bible or God time in when caring for a child that takes your everything and your every moment. In the meantime, comment and share with me what types of Bible or God-time goals you have used and enjoyed.
