What the Bible Taught Me After 8 Years of Consistent Reading

I have struggled with reading my Bible consistently my whole life. Even though I have managed to read consistently for the last few years, there are still days when I have to push through. There are other days when I don’t manage to spend as much time in the Word as I would like. But I am genuinely trying, and by the grace of God, I have remained (mostly) consistent since January 2018.

This does not mean that I haven't fallen into spiritual complacency at times, but instead of it lasting for months or even years, it only lasts a few days or weeks. Consistency is not about perfection — it's about returning to Christ over and over again, relying on His grace to hold you together.

As believers, we know it's important to spend time in the Word, but we often struggle. When I was a teenager, every year my friends and I would attend a youth camp at Waterslea on the Shoalhaven River. Those camps were filled with fun and had a big impact on my faith development (though little fruit was seen for years).

We would spend time in quiet devotion each morning, reading the Word and praying. Sitting on the cool grass, looking out over the river, it was easy to feel the presence of God. One year, after coming home from youth camp, I was sure I was going to make this Bible-reading habit stick. This time it would work.

I sat down with my Bible open on my lap and the sun shining in my face. As I began to read through the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, my mind started to wander as I read the difficult-to-pronounce names. Soon I was leaning my head back against the warm bricks, closing my eyes and daydreaming.

That wasn’t the moment I started reading the Bible consistently. But that moment did come — in God's perfect timing.

It is not a lack of desire that causes many of us to struggle, but motivation rooted in fear or guilt. We want to spend time with God, but each time we fail, we feel guilty for not doing so. This may be even harder for those who accepted Christ before they could read.

It is estimated that only around one third of US citizens read their Bible, and only between 11–20% read it daily. We know God desires us to spend time in His Word, and we may even go through seasons of trying but failing. Though I do not pretend to have all the answers, I want to share what I have learned in the last eight years of Bible reading. I pray it encourages you to start building a consistent habit today.

What is consistancy and why does it matter?

Many people interpret consistency as perfection. I have certainly skipped reading my Bible in the last eight years — more than once! I am far from perfect, but because of Christ's great love for me and my desire to spend time in His Word, I have developed a habit that rarely lapses more than a few days.

Consistency is about being in the Word often, even when it's not easy. Small steps taken consistently will get us to our goal, even if it takes a little longer. When we spend time in the Word regularly, we draw closer to God and understand who He is and what He calls us to do.

The first day I read my brand-new Bible on New Year’s Day 2018 didn’t feel monumental, but over time, I have learned so much more about who God is and how much He loves me. This growth has come through God working in me as I consistently spend time in His Word.

Consistency Matters More Than Intensity

Often the reason we struggle with reading the Word is that it feels overwhelming. There are passages I still find difficult to understand, but I know that God honours consistency.

Maybe you think, “Two minutes is not enough.” But trust me — God would rather have two minutes with you than no minutes at all. When we let the idea of “not enough time” stop us, we can drift into distance from God.

Imagine running into a dear friend you haven't seen in months, and she apologises for not calling because she felt a two-minute call wasn't enough time. Would you not rather have that short call than no contact at all?

Try opening your Bible (or Bible app) while you brew your coffee this morning. Do that every day for a month and see what changes. Soon you will want to spend more time with Him.

Fear and Guilt Are Weak Motivators for Spiritual Growth

For many years, I was driven to read the Bible because that’s what a Christian was “supposed” to do. I felt ashamed that I rarely opened my Bible outside church. Fear and guilt never sustained the habit.

I had to learn that God wanted time with me because He loved me. He is not angry that I missed yesterday — He is joyful every time I come back. Fear may get us started, but grace and love keep us going.

Know Why You’re Reading the Bible

When we know why we are doing something, success becomes easier. The reason itself is not as important as having one. God can work through whatever reason you bring.

My reason was my children. I grew up in a Christian household, and we spent a lot of time as a family at church and bible study: But I rarely saw my parents reading their Bibles. This is likely one of the reasons I struggled for many years to establish the habit, because I hadn't seen the example set before me. This was a gift I wanted to give my daughter (my son hadn't been born at that stage): I wanted her to see what it meant to spend time with Jesus each day.

Give Yourself Grace on the Hard Days

Some days will feel dry. Other days, life will be chaotic. Do not let guilt keep you away from the Father. When you find yourself "falling off the wagon", offer a simple prayer of repentance and open your bible and spend time with Him again. Do not allow guilt or fear to cause you to stay away from the Father.

There Is No Perfect Bible-Reading System

The first time I marked my bible, I wondered whether it was okay to mark the Word. This was when I was in my early 20's, and since then, I have learned that marking the bible is a way to deeply engage in the Word. I've tried out various systems and found there is no perfect system. A free system of marking and making notes that grows as I grow is the best system I have found. It may not look Instagram-worthy but it gives me the freedom I need to engage in a way that changes my heart and grows me as a Christian.

Mistakes Are Part of Spiritual Growth

You will look back on notes and markings in a few years and likely cringe a little, realising how little you understood or the mistakes you made when reading the Word.

I have come across quite a few of these notes in the last few weeks. It would be tempting to buy a new Bible and write out the "correct" notes in that Bible, then archive the current one. Instead, I choose to look at these notes and markings as signs of growth. I make corrections, but I avoid removing the original note. These notes are now a sign of my growth over the last few years.

Do not be ashamed of past mistakes because they are signs of growth as a believer.

Don’t Skip the Notes — Context Deepens Understanding

context is critical when reading the Word. Reading outside of context can result in misunderstandings and confusion. The good thing is, we have so much access to information now that we have no excuse! Take full use of the footnotes in your bible. The Levitical Law may feel very dry while reading through it, but when you look back at it by reading footnotes in Matthew, it helps us to see just what a controversial person Jesus was. He spent time with sinners, touched (and healed) the unclean. He spoke out against the hypocrisy developed from hyperfixation on legalism. This deeper level of understanding comes from reading the passage in context.

Accountability Helps Consistency Stick

we often view accountability negatively, fearing judgment from others, but having an accountability partner encourages us to keep going when things get hard. This person may be a spouse, a family member, someone in your bible study or a friend. It doesn't need to be someone who has it all together with their bible study habits, but it should be someone with whom you can be honest. I encourage you to check in with your accountability partner regularly, especially as you are getting started. As you become more established in your habit, you may not feel the need to check in as often. Even now, I still check in regularly with my accountability partner (my mum) about what I am reading.

Final thoughts

As believers, we all want to spend time in the Word regularly but we often struggle to establish (or maintain the habit). We worry that God (or others) is judging us when we fail to spend time in the Word. We are overwhelmed, confused or are ashamed of making mistakes when trying to understand the Word. We read things out of context and apply them in the wrong way and judge ourselves hashly when we fall into spiritual laziness. We are not honest with our reasons why we want to spend time in the Word or we worry that our reason isnt good enough. But the truth is, God wants you to spend time in the Word because He loves you. He is ready, waiting for you to come to spend time with him today. Wont you spend time with the Saviour this morning?