How the Chaos of 2020 Changed My Bible Reading

I grew up in the church, and I’ve been serving in ministry since I was 22. First, I served with a parachurch organization, then on the denominational level, and now in the local church.  

Knowing that, I bet you think I’ve been consistently reading my Bible for years.

But that’s not true.

I tried, REALLY tried, for years to dig into my Bible regularly. As a recent college graduate and a new staff member with a well-known parachurch organization, I was learning how to study the Bible and beginning to understand the importance of God’s Word in my daily life.

But that doesn’t mean I was faithful in opening it apart from training time at work. No, I was hit and miss and had inconsistent times in the Bible, reading maybe 2-3 times a week. This pattern continued on for years as did my feelings of inadequacy and failure as a Christian.

Then 2020 hit and it felt like the world was falling apart. That year, I began reading the Bible on a consistent basis when a friend suggested I try reading this chronological Bible. I was 40 years old.

My life has not been the same since. It turns out that by taking time to read the Bible on a regular basis God stirred in my heart to actually want to read His Word.

Do I wake up eager to read every single day? If I’m honest, some days I am guilty of pushing snooze too many times and I don’t get the time in. Or getting out of a routine can throw me for a loop, causing me to not open it. Or some days I open it with a heavy heart if I’m feeling “blah” that morning, and I’ll read out of duty because I know it’s the right thing to do.

But most days I crave the reading of the Word. I open it with expectancy, knowing the Holy Spirit will have something for me if I’m just obedient to read. The more committed I am to reading, the more my heart looks forward to that time with God. Some days I spend 30 minutes in God’s Word. Other days I’m rushed, and it might be only five minutes.

No matter how long my reading is or what plan I’m following, the biggest change for me has taken place in my heart. I notice my propensity toward anger (when life feels chaotic or out of control for me) is lessening. I long and hunger for the truth found in the Bible. I often find myself asking the question “What does the Bible say about this topic?” And I am consistently working on memorizing Scripture.

As much as I look back on 2020 and cringe at what that year held, I am grateful for one thing. That’s the year I began to love God’s Word for the first time in my life, and I am forever changed because of it.

So, here’s to another year of opening the Scriptures as I “taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

TWO RESOURCES
Included are two resources that I recently read and enjoyed that may encourage you no matter what your Bible reading looks like.

Help for the Hungry Soul by Kristen Wetherell is a wonderful resource for a person who is feeling unsatisfied in his or her Bible reading. The pages are full of encouragement, practical study tips, and personal stories of men and women who’ve grown in their appetite for God’s Word. The back of the book also offers some tips and resources for getting started in reading the Bible.

Memorizing Scripture: The Basics, Blessings, and Benefits of Meditating on God's Word by Glenna Marshall is a beautiful book that will encourage any believer (man or woman, young or old, new or seasoned) to memorize Scripture. The author gives background on what led her to begin memorizing Scripture, what God’s Word says about meditating on Scripture, and gives practical tips to do so. Since I’ve read this book, I’ve been working on memorizing Psalm 16. Also, this book is my top non-fiction book I read in 2023, and I will likely re-read it in 2024.