I prefer to begin my day by waking up before everyone in the house. There have been many different seasons in which I had to adjust when I went to sleep and when I woke, but for the most part, I have always been an early riser. As soon as the sun is up – I want to be up!
My husband and I enjoy going to bed early this current season. He rises to an alarm during the workweek, and I usually wake while it is still dark outside. Our weekend schedule differs for my husband, who will sleep in and might stay up to watch a movie or read. I still rise early.
There is something about waking before the sun and greeting the day.
My husband is a critical thinker, and I am a doer. He and I both feel tired at the end of our days, though we spend our energy differently. I get physically tired, whereas he is mentally tired. I think I prefer being tired from physical labor rather than being exhausted from mental stress and solving problems. So I take care of animals from dawn to dusk, take care of the household duties, and do my writing in between.
I have made time for praying and reading my Bible – God’s love letter, and I found reading His Word, the first thing, truly gives me a better day. I can tell the difference in how my day goes if I miss being in His Word first and then feel I need to “get it in” for the day. I like to wake early, take the pups outside to do their business, grab a cup of coffee, and start reading.
I recommend reading a bible plan. I chose a Bible In One Year plan and loved its format. I did it last year and loved it so much that I am doing the same plan again this year (the one by Nicky Gumble). I like the idea of knowing I have a set schedule and planned that time with the Lord each day, rather than flipping through trying to find what I think I should read. I used to do that because I wanted God to speak to me, and for it to come from a random place I turned to. But sometimes, I would think too hard about what I read and what He wanted me to do with what I read that day. I also seemed to turn to the parts of the bible I liked, and I missed out on so much of what I used to call “the boring parts.”
When I read passages from the old and new Testaments each day, I see how they work together, and I learn what God was teaching them, and it is evident what He is telling me today.
It is also good to have a place to be with God.
Because I began the BIOY plan in January last year, I liked to be warm by the fireplace and curled up in a throw on the couch in the den. It was good because I was up before everyone else.
But if the time you make to read your bible is after everyone in your household is awake, you may need to make a place where you can be alone. My hubby wakes up and sits at a table in the living room, and I do not disturb him until he joins me in the den.
You may feel you are in such a busy season of your life that there is no time to set aside to read your Bible.
Might I suggest that you wake up a few minutes earlier? Create a space and a time for the Lord before you begin your day; even if you don’t have time to study or read a bible plan, just read the Psalms or the Gospels, but make it a daily habit to spend time with God first thing. I think you will notice the same thing I did in how the rest of your day goes.
Try it; give it a week. Rise and Thrive!