I have something to confess. I’ve broken a few New Year’s resolutions in my time. And I can’t escape the evidence.
There’s a yoga mat collecting dust in my bedroom closet (Resolution: Stretch before exercising.), a foreign language dictionary buried under stacks of novels (Resolution: Become bilingual.) and a large water bottle on the tippy top shelf of my kitchen (Resolution: Stay hydrated.).
But there are a few resolutions that I’ve kept. And the effort was worth it.
- Read the Bible.
I remember when I started reading the Bible about 10 years ago. I was nervous, unsure of how this “worked.” And I wasn’t alone: More than 60% of Americans surveyed in the State of the Bible Survey said they wish they read the Bible more. But finally, I decided to just jump in. I started reading one chapter a day from the book of John.
It hasn’t always been easy. I miss days. Or weeks. Or months. (Let’s be honest.) But in the long run, the habit has stuck through seasons (desperation, joy, doubt, apathy) and stages (college, first job, moving away from home) of my life.
- Study the Bible.
Once you start reading the Bible, you’ll begin to have questions. I sure did. Who were the Pharisees again? How was Solomon related to Abraham?
My solution? Bring on the Bible resources. In addition to asking friends and family, resources like the online Bible concordance Bible Search, and daily Bible reading guides are very helpful.
- Memorize the Bible.
In my Luddite, pre-smart phone days, I used note cards, colored pens and sticky notes. But now there’s even a free Bible memorization app: BibleMinded.
Share the Bible. After you read the Bible yourself, share what you’re learning with others. Talk about it over dinner with friends. Share Bible resources with family. Commit to attending a regular Bible study at your church. And ask questions. Lots of questions.
- Just start reading.
You can check this New Year’s resolution off your list by signing up below for a daily Bible resource as soon as you finish reading this article. Right… now.
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