Time and time again we find ourselves stuck into our beds and comfy chairs and it seems like our hands are too heavy to open that thick, dusty book lying on the topmost row of the bookshelf. There are a lot of reasons why we find it so hard to read the Bible or even to just open it up. But for now, I just want to talk about the top three.
These are the top three reasons
This entry has been inspired by the message I gave my small group when I asked them about their quiet time.
1. Laziness
Who would have thought, right? It’s a no-brainer. Laziness is the top reason why people find it so hard to have their time with God, reading His word. Sometimes we just don’t feel like it. We’re just not in the mood – in other words, we’re lazy. Uh-huh, yeah. That’s the word for it – LAZY.
And it’s such a valid reason too isn’t it? When you’re lazy, you’re probably not gonna do it. But let’s look at the root cause of the problem. Why are you lazy? Because there is no desire for it. There exists no passion for your pursuit of knowing God more. You don’t wanna know Him so chances are you’re probably not gonna be interested in reading His Word!
So what do you need to do in order for you to overcome laziness? You have to have that desire to know your Creator. I believe all of us know that everything comes from God. Everything we have received – there is nothing that we have not received from Him. In order for us to overcome this laziness in reading His Word, we have to have that passion to know God more.
2. Sin
Saying we are good and righteous when in fact we’re not is hypocrisy. And oftentimes we feel like hypocrites when we try to read the Bible but then we know that we have this favorite sin in our lives that we keep on doing and doing and doing. Sin can keep us from reading His word by telling us that we are being hypocrites when we do so because we are not worthy to read His word due to the fact that we have just sinned or that we are still sinning.
Sin can indeed cripple us of our quiet time with God. So what do we need to do in order for us to overcome this?
We have to choose.
Everyone is given the gift of free will. In the end, it all boils down to our choice. Your favorite sin is only your favorite sin because you choose to let it over you. You choose to be addicted to it and let it rule your discipline. Remember that David was a righteous man but one wrong choice ruined a part his life miserably – and it is remembered even up until now. One choice. One wrong choice.
Your choices can be influenced by what you put in your mind. If you always read God’s Word then you will be influenced in your choices to choose God. On the other hand, if you don’t read the Bible then you will most probably be influenced by the ways of this world: peer pressure, media, traditions, culture, and the list goes on and on. In the end, you cannot blame anyone like how Adam blamed Eve and like how Eve blamed the serpent. In the end, it’s your choice.
We all have 24 hours a day
3. Time
And then I hear the excuse ‘But I don’t have enough time!’
And isn’t it such a common reason? Time?
Listen, you and me and everyone else in the world has 24 hours a day – no more and no less. We all have time. It’s just a matter of priority. If you prioritize computer games, definitely you’ll get to play computer games within the day. If you prioritize your studies, definitely you’ll get to study within the day. You will definitely give time to the things that are important to you – to your priorities.
You can overcome your problem of ‘not enough time’ through prioritizing. Prioritize God’s Word over everything else. It is the most important time of your day. It is the most important relationship you have! I cannot stress that enough. How long do you have your quiet time? 10-15 minutes a day? 1 hour? It doesn’t matter as long as you communicate with God, building that relationship with Him.
