How Daily Bible Reading Grows Roots
How Daily Bible Reading Grows Roots
Roots are hidden. They grow in the dark. Roots are not flashy or pretty. They are pretty ugly. But roots are vital! What do roots do? As winter begins to step slowly back into our lives, it is easy to see the trees and plants as “dead.” But in reality – they are still growing. Roots grow deeper in the dead of winter. The cold of the earth doesn’t mean growth isn’t happening. It just means it is below the surface.
Daily Bible reading is just a daily, often unseen thing that we do. We open up God’s word and no one sees. Maybe your family, maybe your roommate, but the world doesn’t see your quiet time. Some people like to post pictures of their Bibles everyday and every week on social media, but that is not true daily Bible reading. Daily Bible reading isn’t about posting the pictures, it is about the action you take. Whether you read two or three verses a day or four chapters a day, consistency is the key. Yes, it is hard to be consistent. God gives us grace and wisdom to do it each day.
Don’t worry about having a flashy Bible, or pretty journal or fun things to say about your Bible reading. What matters is one thing: that you read. Bible reading is one of the things that will steady us! How does it work this way?
Five Ways Daily Bible Reading Grows Roots:
1. Steadies us when life gets hard.
My life is hard right now. Our family moved off of the mission field, after just two and half years. We did not get to even have an opinion. Our dream of being missionaries was over in one phone call. Life is hard. But daily Bible reading steadies me. It is something that stays the same each day.
2. Reminds us of truth – daily – in a loud world.
Right after our devastating news about leaving Honduras I took social media off of my phone. I needed the “world” to be quiet during this time of hardship. The world can be so loud when we are on social media daily. What if we decided to open our Bible apps instead of the social media apps each morning? I have started doing this and it has been freeing and life giving. Truth is so much better than the noises of the world.
3. Focuses our minds and hearts on God.
As we open up God’s word slowly each day we are reminded to look to God. We read the truth about Him. Right now I’m camping out in the Psalms. If you find yourself in a hard place, I suggest you do the same. Those words remind me of God and what He is doing but also who He is.
4. Speak the truth to comfort others.
When God’s word is regularly before us we are able to speak truth to others when they come to us for advice or comfort. We are ready to speak up and speak out about the truth and comfort based on our daily Bible reading.
5. Comfort ourselves.
There is comfort within the pages of the Bible. May I suggest you go to the God of all comfort through daily Bible reading? When our lives are busy, boring, or breaking, God’s word brings comfort. Take comfort each day in truths you know. There are passages I read over and over again. This is not because I forgot because I need to keep building roots!
Roots steady, nourish, and sustain the life of a plant is found in the roots. The steady and nourishing part of your life will be rooted and grounded in a daily Bible reading habit. If we are to withstand the outside forces of this life we must have strong roots.
Thank you from the bottom heart Sarah. I needed this devotional today. It reminded me of times I sat with my best friend, who is now deceased, talking about God and how we needed Him. Thanks again!