One of the things I would love to see is every single person at The Street Church having a daily habit of reading Scripture. Although there are sometimes days that I miss, it’s a habit I’ve had for many years and it’s genuinely life changing.

I wonder if for some of us, this seems an unattainable challenge. Finding that amount of time in an already overcrowded schedule can seem impossible. And yet, all I said was a daily habit, not a daily amount. I believe that it’s great to try and read the Bible each year. There can also be great benefit in reading large chunks of Scripture at one time. However, the most important thing is to develop a daily habit, even if it’s something small. And sometimes it’s actually the small that is most helpful.

This week I was rushing through James and got stopped barely out of the first paragraph.

“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2)

It’s so counterintuitive. I can decide to count trials as pure joy, not because they are pleasant, but because God is using them to transform me into a perfect and complete person just like Jesus. It completely changed my perspective and my prayers around the trials in my life right now.

It was a profound insight for me and yet it came as I reflected on just a few verses. Alternatively there are days when I read a lot and remember nothing. You see the goal is not simply that we know more about Scripture but that we’re equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). My encouragement is therefore to build a habit. To make sure you’re reading and reflecting on God’s word, even if it’s just one paragraph a day. Small habits done consistently yield big results over time. Why not start today.

Much love,
Simon

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Small Steps Everyday