One of the most important spiritual exercises for the Christian is daily Bible reading. However, it is not hard to fill our days with so many other pursuits that we are left with little time and energy to meet God in his word. With the hope of motivating us to re-engage in this spiritual discipline, let us consider some additional benefits of being a daily reader of God’s word.
Daily Bible reading reveals weaknesses and challenges us to work on our character. Regular self-examination is more than wise. It is imperative (2 Cor. 13:5). Each time we open the word of God and think about what we are reading, we will discover something about ourselves. Often that discovery involves a weakness, sin, or area in which we could stand to improve. Paul identified this helpful characteristic of the Bible when he wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Is there anyone who could not benefit from this kind of character formation each day?
Daily Bible reading can enhance your prayers and praise. If you find yourself struggling to know what to say in prayer, reading and meditating on the Scriptures each day can give you the content you seek.
- “I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments” (Psa. 119:7).
- “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances” (Psa. 119:164).
- “Let my lips will utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes” (Psa. 119:171).
Daily Bible reading gives you things to think about when you aren’t reading. Our minds are never idle. They are always focused on something. What we think about in these “idle” moments comes from things we have previously perceived through our senses. The more we read the word of God, the more thought material we will have stored in our brains.
- “At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You because of your righteous ordinances” (Psa. 119:62).
- “My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word” (Psa. 119:148).
Daily Bible reading can increase your comfort in times of difficulty. Earth is not heaven. Therefore, we will not escape hardships in this life. But the word of God offers a level of comfort and peace in these trying times that nothing else can.
- “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
- “This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me” (Psa. 119:50).
- “I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O Lord, and comfort myself” (Psa. 119:52).
- “Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psa. 119:165).
Daily Bible reading can fill you with hope for the future. The more aware we become of the moral and spiritual degradation of our culture, the more prone we may become to discouragement. But the more we read and meditate on the word of God, the more confidence we have in our future as his children. Reading the word of God each day can lift our spirits.
- “And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I hope in Your ordinances” (Psa. 119:43).
- “Remember the word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope” (Psa. 119:49).
These are not the only benefits to a program of daily Bible reading. But they should be enough to motivate us to invest time each day in communing with God and allowing him to offer us instruction, guidance, help, encouragement, wisdom, rebuke, comfort, and peace.