If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to spend more time in God’s Word this year, today’s post is for you … especially if you’ve already blown it just two weeks in. I’m over-the-moon excited to welcome my friend, Melissa Taylor, to the New Year, New Thing series. Thank you for sharing your heart, Melissa!
This is the year. I’m going to actually keep my resolutions & goals with #1 being to spend time in God’s Word every single day for at least fifteen minutes.
As I look back, this goal has come up almost every year. And like most other resolutions, it is made with the best of intentions and full confidence that this will be the year to begin and finish strong.
I begin strong. I even make a plan to help ensure all goes well. I put it on my calendar, work it into my day. I might even ask a friend or two to help hold me accountable.
So what happens?
Life happens. A sick kid. A snowstorm. I oversleep. I miss one day, but promise I’ll get back to it the next. More life happens. The dog messes up the carpet. The heat goes out. A car breaks down. Interruptions, mishaps and lack of discipline replace my full confidence that this will be the year.
Then the self-shame begins.
Melissa, just look at you. Miss Bible Study Teacher isn’t even reading her Bible every day. What would people say about that? #Disappointment
Melissa, you don’t do what you say you will do. Each year you commit, then fail. #Failure
Melissa, what is wrong with you? Seriously, if you can’t make time to read your Bible, then obviously God isn’t so important to you. #Hypocrite
Melissa, God is looking down on you and shaking His head. He must think you are such a let down as His child and a Godly Christian woman. #YouShouldBeAshamed
Do you know what happens as a result of that self-shaming talk to myself? It pulls my heart away from God and causes me to spend my time focused on the pathetic me. Now, where is time being wasted?
Can I be honest? I don’t really want to have a set amount of time in God’s Word every single day. And I certainly don’t want that to be what defines me as a child of God or a good girl. If it does, I’m in trouble.
Please note: I didn’t say that I didn’t want to read God’s Word. I know how important that is, but if I miss a day or even a week, it doesn’t mean I’m ruined and no good. It just means I missed a few days.
What I really want is to seek Jesus with all my heart, love big and walk daily in my everyday real life with Him. I need God all day and definitely need the peace and security that comes from Him in any situation.
Seeking God and walking with Him daily requires more than a plan, routine or resolution.
Life can and will interrupt those things. But life should never be able to interrupt my relationship and daily walk with God.
I lead online Bible studies at Proverbs 31 Ministries and I want to invite you to join me for our next FREE study.
All you need to do this study is the book. Click here for all of the information, I would love to have you join me!
Doesn’t that sound so much better than trying to live up to a plan? Now that is what I want for my new year!
Melissa Taylor is the Director of Online Bible Studies for Proverbs 31 Ministries, where thousands of women all over the world are active and engaged in online Bible study and community. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, Jeff, their four teen/young adult kids and two dogs. In the fall, you’ll find her most Saturdays in her back yard Tiki Hut, cheering on her beloved South Carolina Gamecocks. You can connect with Melissa on her blog, on Facebook and on Twitter.
12 thoughts on “New Year, New Thing: Resolve to Be More Than a Good Bible Study Girl”
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Such truth and honesty! One of the many reasons I love you and your heart, Melissa. Thank you, thank you for this reminder!
I’m doing this one!! My first P31 study. Can’t wait. It seems like it will be perfect for me and many others, I’m sure.
Yay Pam!! We are so glad to have you doing the study with us! It’s going to be a great one!
Oh Melissa your words were my words. So this study is the right one for me. Thank you for being so honest.
I am so excited! I invited a young lady that I recently met to join the bible study with my sister and I. She said she would love to, it would be such a blessing to win a book to give her. Please pray for us. I have never done this before and I don’t know how my sister is going to react to me inviting someone else to join us. God is good and I know this is His doing, so it will all work out. In His Service, Linda C
That is so awesome, Linda! Thank you for inviting friends to OBS!
Oh, I just love your heart, Melissa. What a fabulous message for the new year. I can’t wait to get started in this study!
Love you both,
me
I’m so glad I discovered your blog/s, Christa and Melissa, at Susan B. Mead’s, Dance With Jesus Link-Up! I need Jesus all day too and it’s my prayer that life wouldn’t interrupt my daily walk with God. This online Bible Study looks so good. I love all of Lysa TerKeurst’s books!
We are so glad you found us, too, Valerie! Hope you’ll join us for the study at proverbs31.org!
Thank you Melissa and Christa for this inspiring message. I am hoping to start AND finish this bible study on time. Looking forward to the study. P31 has been a blessing to me.
You can do it, Annette!! Our OBS participants are a blessing to us. We are so thankful for you!
Thank-you all for such a great time to have noticed this study and the idea of mapping out the mind. Every New years day I think of all of the ideas of other years that I did not follow through. The biggest one is to finish reading the Bible through and the other is to lose weight. A struggle I have had all my life, and at 65 it is getting rather depressing. So I am looking forward to the study and to getting to know you Christa. I have done several of the bible studies over the years and I love reading you all’s posts.
Thank-you and May God Bless you all!!