When Resolutions Fail

I gave up on my 365-day Bible reading plan yesterday.

The truth is that I’ve never been very good at those plans. I’ve actually made it through in 365 days a time or two, but more often than not, I find myself unable to keep up with the pace, and I end up feeling defeated just a month or so in.

Life went a little haywire (as it tends to do) a few weeks ago, and I got several days behind. Yesterday morning, I was staring down the possibility of reading 10+ chapters a day for the next several days in order to catch up when reality sank in. It’s not going to happen this year.

And I’m honestly OK with that. I tried. Really, I did.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but I think it’s important to remember that Jesus isn’t sitting in heaven with a clipboard tracking our Bible reading each day. Does he have a desire for us to love his Word?? Yes, of course. Does he want it to take root in our hearts and transform us from the inside out?? Absolutely, 100 percent. But has he set down a requirement for us to read every single word in 365 days?? No, no he hasn’t. 

Reading the Bible in a year is a completely human invention, and it’s just not realistic for me right now. In this particular season of life, I’m doing what I can when I can, and I’m choosing to let go of the rest.

So, after admitting defeat, I set the checklist aside, took a deep breath, closed my eyes, whispered a prayer, opened my Bible, and slowly read a single chapter. Tomorrow, I’ll read another one. And I’ll keep going from there.

I bring all this up because I figure that I’m not the only one who’s failed to keep a resolution to read the Bible in 365 days this year. I imagine that at this point in the game, more than a few of you are in the boat with me.

If so, let me encourage you not to give up entirely. Don’t stop picking up your Bible every day. Keep reading. Continue studying. Just maybe not at the relentless pace that a yearly plan requires. The important thing isn’t the quantity of scripture that we take in every day, but the quality of the time that we spend immersed in God’s Word.

The Lord is good and kind to those who seek him. He honors the faithful acts of his people. And he speaks to us through his Word, even if it takes us longer than expected to read it all.

📖 Leslie Ann