Chewing your fingernails, burping in public and playing the Xbox for hours – we're all really good at developing bad habits, aren't we? But how do you develop good habits? In particular, how do you create good Bible reading habits?
1. Give God the best time of your day. When is your brain at its freshest? When are you most switched on? This should be the time you devote to the reading of God's Word. This will, of course, differ depending on whether you're a morning, daytime or evening person. But, whatever your preference, choose the best time of day and stick to it.
2. Keep it fresh. There's nothing worse than continuing with a stale method of Bible reading. Instead, keep your Bible reading fresh and active by changing your method when you find you're getting bored. There are plenty of resources to assist you in this – try the Daily Reading Bible, pre-written devotions, a Bible reading plan, reading cover-to-cover, or take a break every few months to read a Christian book. Whatever you use, don't forget that the point is to be reading the Bible, not to get stuck on one particular method!
3. Be accountable. Like training for sport or studying for school, discipline has to first come from within. However, if you really want to develop a habit, it's a good idea to make yourself accountable to others. Some helpful people could be: a Christian friend, your youth group or Bible study leader, a prayer trio or even a Christian parent. How does it work? They ask you each week what you've been reading, and you should also ask them the same thing. Knowing that your mates are going to check up on you could be just the motivation you need.
Studies show that it takes about 3 weeks to develop a habit. So, pick up a Bible reading plan, set your alarm for the same time each day for a month, ask a mate to check on you each week, and give it a go. Who knows – it may become a good habit for life!