Reading the Bible in one year seems like a daunting task, especially if you’re focused on how much you need to read.
The Bible comprises 66 books in total. It’s a collection of books that point to Jesus and tell one big story. That means there’s a lot to read. But don’t fret, reading the bible in one year isn’t impossible! Plenty of people accomplish this goal.
As long as you have systems in place, you can get through the entire Bible in one year. But a goal without a plan is meaningless.
You want to do this, but you’re going to need the plan to do it. Keep reading to learn how to read the bible in a year.
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The Pros and Cons of a Bible Reading Plan
First, let’s get into the pros and cons of a Bible reading plan. There are both advantages and disadvantages to a bible reading plan.
Pros of a Bible Reading Plan
Some of the pros of a bible reading plan are:
- Having a plan: Having a plan laid out for you so you know what you’re going to be reading every day is very beneficial. You don’t have to think about what books or chapters you’re going to be reading that day. You have a plan and you stick to it.
- Reading the Bible more regularly: We all agree that reading the Bible is beneficial. But sometimes we won’t read the Bible consistently unless we have a plan that lays it out for us.
- Reading through scriptures you don’t normally gravitate toward: If you don’t follow a bible reading plan, you might not read books of the Bible like the minor prophets. As a result, you’re more exposed to other parts of scripture.
Cons of a Bible Reading Plan
Some of the cons of a bible reading plan are:
- Falling behind: Life happens. You may fall behind and miss a few days of the reading plan. I think that’s okay. At the same time, there are some people who might fall into shame when this happens. Don’t feel ashamed if you miss a few days. Just start right back where you left off.
- Reading the Bible just to get through it: Examine your motives. Why do you want to read through the Bible in a year? To simply say you got through it? Just going through the motions isn’t good.
- The Bible reading plan might be too fast for you: Reading the Bible that quickly might make it hard for you to digest what you’re reading. Maybe you’re not as good at reading through something that quickly and understanding it. If that’s you, it’s okay to take it slower.
Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year
Here’s your guide to reading the bible in one year. Let’s get into it.
#1 Invest in a good Bible.
The first step to reading the Bible in a year is to invest in a good Bible. You can’t read the Bible if you don’t have access to it.
You don’t necessarily need a physical Bible, but I’ve found that it’s more useful. It’s tangible and you’re able to do more with a physical Bible like highlight and write in it. As an alternative, you can use online Bibles, Bible apps, and audio Bibles.
This blog post, The Best Bibles for New Believers, has more information on Bibles to invest in as a new believer.
#2 Create or choose a Bible reading plan.
The next step is to make or pick a Bible reading plan.
If you decide to make your own plan, there’s a lot to figure out. You’d basically need to create a Bible reading plan from scratch. This isn’t impossible though.
You’d need to read at least 3-4 chapters of the Bible every day in order to get through it in a year. With this knowledge, you can choose where you want to start and start planning.
Personally, I believe the easier option is to choose a Bible reading plan that’s already been laid out for you. There are a lot of options. Many Bible apps, like YouVersion, have a list of Bible reading plans to choose from.
#3 Record your progress in a journal.
After you choose a Bible reading plan, make sure to record the progress you make in a journal.
When you record your progress, it fuels your motivation. You see how far you’ve gone from the beginning and it helps you keep going. Whenever you’re feeling discouraged or unmotivated, look at your progress.
Believe me, it will help!
#4 Take it one day at a time.
Remember to take this plan one day at a time. Don’t look at how much you have to do. Just focus on the present day.
Jesus also taught this. He says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” (Matthew 6:34 NIV).
When we take it one day at a time, we don’t feel as overwhelmed and worried. We’re able to focus better on the tasks we have for that day.
#5 Reward yourself when you complete milestones.
Set milestones for yourself. Personally, I reward myself weekly when I’ve been able to complete the tasks I’ve had for that week.
These rewards work as a motivator to keep going. This looks different for everyone. For myself, I typically reward myself by treating myself to a nice dinner or hot bath. For you, it may look like getting your nails done, going to the spa, or buying a cute outfit.
Whatever this looks like for you, don’t neglect to reward yourself for what you accomplish (even when it doesn’t feel like very much).
#6 Create a tangible way of seeing your progress.
Similar to tracking your progress in a journal, you can create other tangible ways of seeing your progress.
For myself, I put one marble in a mason jar at the end of the week if I’ve accomplished what I’ve needed for that week. Whenever I see this mason jar, it makes me feel good and reminds me of how far I’ve gotten.
#7 Stay consistent with your Bible reading plan.
Finally, stay consistent with your plan! It’s all about consistency.
If you mess up and miss one day, it’s not a big deal. Don’t feel bad or ashamed. Consistency doesn’t mean you’re going to be perfect and never miss a day.
It means that you’re trying and you put forth the effort on a consistent basis. If you’re consistent 5 out of 7 days, I’d call that a win. Being consistent at least 80% of the time is important.
Remember these steps for reading the Bible in a year:
- Invest in a good Bible.
- Create or choose a Bible reading plan.
- Record your progress in a journal.
- Take it one day at a time.
- Reward yourself when you complete milestones.
- Create a tangible way of seeing your progress.
- Stay consistent with your Bible reading plan.
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