Happy New Year everyone! It’s been a while, I know. I apologize for my hiatus, but now I am
back and excited to work on some new and exciting things. Even though January is almost
gone, it is never too late to start your goals, am I right?
On December 31st, as I reflected on 2022, I thought about all God had done for me in the past
year. Last year brought its highs and lows- but through it all, God remained the same. During
my reflection, I also wrote out my goals for the upcoming year. One goal in particular that I
have for 2023 is getting in the Word more to know the heart and character of God.
Before, I always saw reading the Bible as a chore and something I had to do, not to know God
but a “religious” thing to do. If you’re like me, life can get busy or lazy, and you do not want to
or feel like reading the Bible. What I have noticed, however, is that when I’ve spent a few days
without getting in my Bible, I start distancing myself from God. And that’s what the enemy
wants. He wants us to think there’s no point in going back to God, but to continue distancing
ourselves because God doesn’t love or want us anymore. But God says the exact opposite. Jesus
loves us, and He desires to spend time with us and for us to get to know Him. He wants us to
draw close to Him!
Throughout January, I have been reading a prayer devotional. One day something I read
opened my heart and changed my perspective on reading the Word. It read, “How can you
know Him unless you spend time with Him?”. That shook me and changed the way I thought
about reading my Bible. I no longer wanted to look at it as a chore, but as something I NEEDED
in order to know who God is and why He sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit to us. You may be in
this same situation of just reading the Bible as a chore, but let me ask you something, how can
you get to know Jesus and His love for you if you don’t allow His Word to show you who He is?
Take it from Shay, once you realize you get to read the Bible to know God, your heart will
hunger for more of this kind, gentle, and loving man named Jesus.
