As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
-Psalm 18:30
Having known His mercy towards all mankind, I always had such hard time getting into the Word on a daily basis. However, God enabled me through His grace to read through the whole bible chronologically in the year of 2011. I had never done that! I started out slow and unsure, fearing guilt was just around the corner if I forgot one day to read. But it wasn’t like that at all. I found that I began to look forward to my time with Him, and I began seeking Him in a quiet place more and more each day. I even began reading TWICE a day on some days when the story became to tantalizing to wait a whole day to pick it back up. All of the worry, fear and legalism melted away. I felt like one of those Weight Watcher’s commercials with the before and after photos. Before, I looked like I was a baggage salesperson, and after, I felt like a lean, mean, praying machine. Ha! Yes, that was a bit exaggerated. My point is that my relationship had become intimate with the very God who spoke everything we see into existence. I couldn’t get over that He would want me, and to be honest, it still blows my mind.
Ladies, the New Year is quickly approaching, and New Year’s resolutions daunt all of us women with losing more weight on fad diets and the fear of the the guilt when we fail. I would like to challenge you to a different type of resolution, one that has changed my entire relationship with Jesus Christ in a way that abounded my expectations. Whether you’re the “seasoned-veteran” type of Christ lover or whether you’re just starting out on your journey as a new believer, I challenge you to read through the Bible this year using some type of reading plan. BUT there’s one thing you have to promise yourself: You cannot let guilt and comparison creep into your reading. It steals the joy of intimacy. God doesn’t want you left feeling guilty every time you think of Him. Also, you can’t compare yourself to anyone because everyone is different. God knows you’re not Jane, Esther or Mary. He knows that because He’s the one who created you to be you.
So for the New Year, I challenge you all. You can find so many reading plans on the internet, but YouVersion.com has been my go-to, and I have found hundreds of encouraging reading plans, including the Chronological Reading Plan that made my relationship with Christ morph into a much deeper walk with Him. Please browse through the reading plans. Pick one out, and read it. Don’t let guilt in. Instead let God’s grace wash over your spirit and renew your strength.
Peace,
Amanda
This would be a GREAT resolution!