My One-Year-bible reading journey
I had made New Year Resolutions to read the bible in a year many times. But after a few weeks, I would struggle to catch up with the plan every morning, . As I was busy, by the end of the day, I would hardly remember what I read in the morning. By the time I started reading “boring” books like Leviticus, and Numbers, I would be completely lost and “died” with Israelites in the wilderness. After that, being discouraged, I would only read bible on and off.
On the other hand, I have attended many Sunday school bible study classes and listened to many bible teachings from the podium. But it seemed so difficult to apply the Words to real life. Whenever there were trials, God’s Words became far away and I was so helpless.
I have been troubled by how to study the bible systematically, how to read the bible in my daily devotion, and how to apply the bible to my daily life.
God, in His wisdom, taught me how to meditate the bible through a series of trials of insomnia, depression and anxiety. He began to speak to me through His words and taught me how to apply to my daily life.
At the end of year 2012, God even challenged me to read the whole bible systematically within a year in 2013. At first, I thought this was a mission impossible as I had failed so many times and I am a very disciplined-type of person. But after struggling for a while, I obeyed and started reading three chapters of Old Testament and one chapter of New Testament each day. I also prayed desperately for God’s grace to do this consistently.
Amazingly, God heard my prayers and started helping me:
1. Instead of just reading the bible chapters and get bored in my mind, I started praying important verses from each chapter to awaken my heart and my spirit to the love of Jesus. I also picked one verse a day to meditate so that my mind could focus on Him and His promises throughout the day.
2. I happened to read the “The Victory Bible Reading Plan”(1). I combined it with my existing bible reading plan to develop a new bible reading plan that is easier to remember and follow, and more suitable for praying and meditating the bible.
3. I started using good audio bible players so that I could listen to God’s Words anywhere I went and use my time more efficiently. I can also listen to God’s Words again and again to let His Words written in my heart.
4. I was urged to build a bible devotion website and write summaries and prayers of each chapter I read everyday. He led other brothers and sisters to read the bible together with me so that we could share, pray, encourage and support each other on the website.
Thank you Jesus! By your grace, I started loving more and more to read the bible and I finally finished my first one-year bible reading plan! When I look back, it was a tremendous blessing! Many times when I was discouraged or in despair, the words I read, prayed or meditated that day would lift me up and restore my faith and courage. Having read the whole bible, I got a much more balanced view of His truth. And God answered many of questions I struggled over years through the scriptures.
I have been praying that God would help to find more brothers/sisters to do this together, so that we could share, pray and encourage each other. If it is your passion to read and pray God's words to experience his power everyday, you are welcome to join us!
Brother GT
(1) James M. McKeever, The Victory Bible Reading Plan, Omega Publications (OR), July 1, 1989
