Category: Driving Thoughts

How the Bible Reading Challenged Changed My Daily Devotions

I was raised in a very solid Christian home. I saw my mom reading her Bible very often in the morning. My dad was a pastor and would talk about what he was studying in Bible very often in casual conversation (still does). When I reached my early teens, I acquired an interest in learning all things theology and about the Bible. I would say though that my daily Bible reading, however, was a huge struggle for me.

The constant pattern would go something like this: I would resolve to do better in my Bible reading. I would read a chapter a day for about a week, maybe a month, and then something would throw the whole pattern off. Suddenly three months of not reading my Bible later, in would set the guilt. Where did I go wrong and why couldn’t I get myself motivated to jump back in?

I would try to justify my guilt by saying that I just wasn’t being legalistic in my Bible reading. Legalism was also the excuse I used to avoid any Bible reading plans. Every youth group leader or Bible study leader would say: “now don’t just read your Bible to get that check mark on your list.” Honestly, I wish that I had never heard anyone ever say that. I did not need any extra ideas for justifying my laziness in daily devotions.

As a quick note, I am not saying that the youth group leader or Bible study leader is wrong and that there is no danger of pride setting in because “you checked all the days in your Bible reading plan.” Pride is a whole other subject, and I do not think that there should be any pride in taking the time to feed your soul. What I am arguing is that I think the problem of just getting people into the Word is the more widespread issue than Christians sticking their noses in the clouds because they read their Bible more than their brother in Christ. Again, note: if you are that Christian with their nose in the sky, come off your high horse and help some brothers out who are struggling.

Anyways, I had avoided Bible reading plans for a long time since they had the connotation of being legalistic in my mind. I still had the guilt of not being in the word regularly. Two things happened that turned this around for me.

First, when I was in Bible college, they set me up with a mentor who lived very close to the school. She was a dear young mom who helped me out majorly during that overwhelming time of my life. She told me about how she listened to the Bible being read to her via her phone. Now for most of you that might not be a revolutionary idea at all. For me though, this was huge. I had never ever thought to do that before. I had the Bible App on my phone which I used very randomly and usually for verse memorization when I realized that finals were coming up. The whole idea of the Bible being read to me really left me with no easy excuse to not be in the Word because I listen to music and podcasts almost non-stop in my everyday life. (My husband and family members can attest to the truthfulness of this statement.)

The second thing was when my mom asked me to join the “Same Page Summer” Bible Reading Challenge last year. Between my mom asking me to do it, and the Bible Reading Challenge being created by one of my favorite women authors, Rachel Jankovic, I couldn’t really say no. I started the reading plan, and I joined the “Bible Reading Challenge” Facebook group. I watched some of Rachel’s videos, and it completely changed how I looked at reading the Bible. The way she talked about coming the Bible like a meal and how when you miss a meal, you don’t eat extra to make up for it, helped me massively in dealing with my guilt for missing a day. I did not have to drag this massive weight of being a terrible Christian because I forgot a day or two. The important thing was to repent and then get right back into the Word.

A year later, I am still doing their Bible Reading challenge. I am currently doing their Same Page Summer Challenge which I highly encourage you to jump in if you aren’t already doing another Bible reading challenge. You can find the challenge here. I have to say that the guilt I always carried when I came to the Word is finally gone, and I am constantly noticing little details that I never noticed in the Scriptures. Maybe I just forgot them. Either way, it has been refreshing for my soul. I know I don’t do it perfectly, and I do miss days especially when my schedule gets wack. But, I have to say that this past year has been one of the most consistent years that I have spent in the Word for personal devotions.

Making the Scary Decisions

Whether you’re a senior in high school or high school graduate, the most commonly asked and terrifying question you will get asked is: “what are your plans now that you’re done?” It’s a well intentioned and great small talk question; question for which you probably have a rehearsed answer. This doesn’t just apply for going into school. This applies for other big life decisions like who to date, changing jobs, moving, etc. Often times you are wondering: “well what does God want me to do? I know He has a plan for my life, but I don’t know what His plan is.” In this tiny article, we are going to talk about how you can actually find out what God’s will is for your life. I’m fairly certain you’re not going to like it.

“Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.””
‭‭JUDGES‬ ‭6:36-37‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Many Christians think to seek God’s will like Gideon did with the fleece . I don’t think that’s how we are supposed to find God’s will. Might I say that it’s much simpler than that. As a person who stresses out about simple planning decisions, I read and listened to pastors* who are much wiser than me talk about this issue. What I have found freeing and learned from them came down to these three things.

Is the Decision Sinful?

Susie wants to get married beyond all reason. She’s never had a boyfriend, and she’s about to turn thirty. She found this good guy, Johnathan. So far they are just friends, it doesn’t take long for her to discover that he isn’t a Christian. When he asks her to be his girlfriend, she’s confronted with the decision to date him. She knows that a Christian is commanded to not become unequally yoked, (‭‭2 CORINTHIANS‬ ‭6:14) but Johnathan might be the only man who ever takes interest in her.

Singleness isn’t easy, but being unequally yoked is worse. She turns him down choosing to obey God’s Word.

Hard decisions come up in life like this all of the time. If one of the choices is sinful or maybe just outright stupid, and you know it is, then you know that that isn’t God’s will for you. God would never want you to do something sinful or just stupid.

Pray and Consult Other Believers

Xander isn’t sure for what profession he should go. He just graduated high school, and he has different interests that he would love to pursue: nuclear engineering, carpenter, or pastorate. He is frustrated knowing that these are very different fields. He prays for wisdom and asks people who have known him for a long time and care deeply about his best interests. Many people encourage him towards engineering knowing how he is extremely good with math and enjoys doing it. They know he has the smarts to be a pastor, but he lacks the people skills. As for carpentry, he just doesn’t do well with all of the physical labor.

Always pray for wisdom from God, He will help you in choosing. He likely won’t tell you with a booming voice from the heavens, but He may tell you through the people around you. After you’ve prayed about it, keep praying and ask people who know you well and care about your well being. We all have the friend we ask for advice because we know that they will tell you what you want to hear. Don’t go to them. Go to the older generation in your church. Go to your friends who have known you a long time. Go to your family members if you have good relationships with them.

Do you want to do it? Then do it.

James wants to go into the mission field. He knows that that’s all he wants to do with his life. He’s prayed about it tirelessly, and everyone around him encourages him to it. He could go to law school at Harvard. He has the smarts and a scholarship, but he wants to go into the mission field. He has the money to go to Finland and has been offered a pastoral position. He decides to go.

This might sound shocking, but if you’ve cleared the other two hedges with ease, then do what you want. I’m dead serious. Stop waiting for a sign, and go do what you want. If the decision isn’t sinful, you’ve prayed about it, your Christian brethren think it’s a good idea, and you want to do it then go for it. Make the decision. Do the thing. Marry the girl. Go into the profession. Change the job. Maybe don’t do any of it and continue doing whatever you’ve been doing. Just make a choice and stop being paralyzed by anxiety and indecisiveness.

*resources on this issue that I’ve found helpful are: ‘Just Do Something’ by Kevin DeYoung and John MacArthur: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/TMU105/knowing–gods-will

Hello!

I’m Natalie. I started this blog to talk about two things. The random driving thoughts of life whether they might be theological or about a book, and second to talk about the struggles of writing in which is where the day dreams comes.

I’m an extrovert who loves caffeine, late nights writing, and yes, cats. I am a Reformed Baptist, who is striving after Christ and trying to figure out how to glorify God in my ordinary life. I am married to Joshua, who is the love of my life and is constantly pointing me to remember God and His faithfulness to us.