#operationreadmybible (Part 8: Too Lazy)
I don’t read the Bible because I’m lazy.
So many of you said this is the reason, the actual (ugly) reason for your failure to read. And I was so impressed with your honesty.
Yes. We’re lazy.
Scientists say it’s because our body is always fighting to expend the least possible energy—never know when you’ll run out food and need fat stores. Thus, our constant effort to conserve.
It also has a lot to do with habit. Every time we choose against action our body becomes more likely to make the same choice again.
We don’t read our Bibles for much the same reason we don’t exercise.
So, I’ve decided to approach your Bible reading like a workout plan. Imagine #operationreadmybible is a Couch to 5K.
Follow these steps to crush laziness:
1. Start where you are. If you’re new, start small and start with what you understand. Read for five minutes a day in the book of Mark. If you really like poetry, start in Psalms. If you want super-practical, go with James. Slowly increase how much you read and the complexity of what you read as you build endurance and strength. If you try to overdo it on the first day, you’ll burn out.
2. Make a habit. Whatever you decide (five minutes on your lunch break, twenty in the morning over coffee, an hour after work…), do it. Do it every single day. Even when it hurts. Even when you don’t want to. And eventually it’ll be second nature. Habits are powerful. Harness them for good.
3. Seek accountability. Even if it’ just crossing “Read my Bible” off a to-do list, find a way to hold yourself accountable. You might tell two or three friends what you’re doing or join an online Bible study group.
4. Reward good behavior. What’s rewarded is repeated. Give yourself a treat after a week of faithful reading. Maybe a month of reading earns you a new Bible. Too, be watching your life. Notice the improvements in your thoughts and behavior. When you pay attention to the good work God’s doing through His Word, you’re way more likely to return to it.
5. Pray for help. What? You don’t pray before your workouts? ;) Remember, God will help you beat laziness. Ask for help and He’ll provide.