I once heard a preacher say that reading the word was like filling a bucket. You start out empty. And as you spend time in the word it’s like a drop in your bucket.
The next day you do the same.
And the next, and the next.
Finally, after consistently spending time in the word, you’re bucket starts to overflow.
I had always struggled with what it meant to be in the word. I had heard that being in the word of God would heal me. Since I needed a whole lot of healing, I tried to spend a whole lot of time in the word. So much so, that I would exhaust myself, and need to take a break.
Don’t Be a Hare
It was during this time that the Lord reminded me of the story of the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise took things slowly, one step at a time, while the hare ran and ran until he needed a rest. Then he would run some more.
The hare thought he would win the race because he was much faster than the tortoise. But to his surprise, it was the tortoise who won.
The Lord impressed upon me to do what I could do daily. If it was five minutes, then five minutes. If it was fifteen, then fifteen. I wasn’t doing myself any good by trying to rush through all at once. Slow and steady wins the race.
It was the consistent time set aside every day with the Lord that brought me to a place of healing and growth. If you have struggled with reading the word daily, feeling like you should read more, or you haven’t read enough, or didn’t read the right part for the day, I would like to share with you some simple things I have learned to put into practice.
Let the Should Go.
You may have heard that you should read the Bible through every year. If this works for you, then by all means do it.
But if this overwhelms you, remember that God just wants you to spend time with Him.
He is not waiting for you to meet a quota.
Get in the word every day, yes, but do what you can do.
Do what is practical and works for you in your season of life.
Right now, I set a timer for fifteen minutes in the morning, and I spend fifteen minutes reading the word.
As you read, highlight or write down scriptures that speak to your heart.
I like to take these scriptures that spoke to me during my bible reading time, and during my prayer time, I pray them back to God. I ask Him to help me apply them in my own life, and invite Him to speak to my heart about each one.
Plan obedience
Did the scripture you read speak to you about something in your life?
Is there something you can change?
James 1:22 says that we are not to merely hear the word, but to do what it says.
When we put the word into practice in our lives, we are like the man who built our house upon the rock, instead of on the sand (See Luke 6:46-49).
In what practical way can you put the Word you read today into practice?
Conclusion
It is in the consistency of small, doable doses that you will grow in the word. Do what blesses you, what you are able, and watch what the Lord does with it.
Be blessed in the Lord!
Love,
Carolyn
Lord, I’m Broken is available from my site, amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com and wherever books are sold online.
