It would be fantastic if we could pray and read the bible everyday without fail and never miss a day of our bible plans. But we already know sometimes life gets too much, busy schedules and the endless to-do lists can take up so much of our time and before you know it you haven’t properly prayed and read your bible in a few days, if not weeks! (I have been there and done that too many times!)
When you realise you haven’t prayed or read your bible there is only one decision you have to make, and it is to get back up again. You may feel guilty and condemned but don’t dwell on it – shake it off. Condemnation is not from the Lord. In Romans 8:1 it says
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
God doesn’t stop loving you when you don’t pray or read your bible every single day.Remember, Nothing can separate us from the love of God! (Romans 8:39)
It may be hard to start again but you have to try. Here’s a few suggestions that may help you to make your bible time a habit:
- Find passages in the bible about prayer and the word of God. Then note down why it’s important to pray and bible study the word of God in a journal. You can read this whenever you find yourself not praying or reading your bible.
- Set realistic times for you to pray during the day ( it doesn’t have to be only in the morning or night, it can be during a break time, too).
- You can start with shorter prayers and build it up gradually. It may be better to pick days in the week that you may have more time to study your bible instead of studying every day. You can also start with shorter and lighter bible study topics and build it up over time.
- It’s not about how many times or how long you pray or read your bible compared to someone else. You are different. You need to find a way that works for you and be intentional about it.
- Ask for help! Get a prayer/ bible study partner to encourage you and help you be accountable.
Just as people say ‘Rome wasn’t build in a day’. It takes effort to read the bible and pray. If you miss a day, just like a child learning to walk, get back up again and try. Don’t stay on the ground.
Encourage yourself and encourage one another. We’re all in this together!
