January 30, 2024
75: Should I Read the Whole Bible in a Year?
Should I Read the Bible in a Year?
- The short answer is “of course”. If you can set aside about 12-15 minutes per day to follow a Bible in a Year reading program then I would definitely do it.
The benefits are worth it:
- You get to see the whole scope of the Bible.
- A daily diet of reading Scripture is the best thing you can do for your mind and soul.
- You will be more Biblically literate at the end of the year, gaining wisdom and knowledge to help you live a life that glorifies God.
- What are the possible drawbacks of trying to read the Bible in a year?
- Most plans require you to read every day. I am really good at doing 2 things every day: eating and sleeping. It is extremely hard (but not impossible) do create a daily habit. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try, I’m just saying it’s important to be realistic and be kind to yourself if you miss a day.
- You start but then get overwhelmed because you missed a few days and it will take you hours to catch up. Then you just give up and feel bad about yourself.
- You fall into the trap that if you don’t do your Bible reading each day then God will be disappointed in you. If you are in Christ, then God is never disappointed in you.
- You replace Bible reading for Bible study. Reading the BIble is fantastic, but the Bible is also meant to be studied. If you only read and do not study the Bible then you will only get a shallow understanding of God’s Word.
Here are some tips for reading the Bible in a year:
- Find a plan that makes you want to read the Bible every day. There are tons of different plans from straight through to chronological to Old and New Testament readings each day. The two plans I have found most helpful are:
The ESV Bible in a Year on the YouVersion Bible app
The Navigators Bible in a year plan. This plan has 25 readings per month so that if you miss a day or two you don’t have to “make it up”. I have not found this plan on an app so you will have to go old school and print out a copy and keep it in your Bible.
- If you fall behind then don’t give up. Just keep going. If you have time to make up days you missed then go for it. But if not, don’t worry, you are still reading God’s Word regularly and this will have a life-transforming effect.
- I have actually taken two years to finish my one year plan.
- Finally, remember, God is just excited that you are getting into His Word, listening to His voice, and desire to develop your relationship with him. His gospel is full of never-ending grace and mercy. And we all know the gospel changes everything!
I almost forgot…
If you do decide you want to learn how to read and study the Bible in such a way that you see the gospel message in every passage then don’t forget to check out my course: The Gospel-Centered Bible Study. Just go to gospelcenteredbiblestudy.com