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Just Keep Reading

January 29th, 2025
by Brett Toney
In the movie Finding Nemo, the absent-minded sidekick is a blue tang fish named Dory. She is endlessly forgetful and relentlessly optimistic. She has one repeated principle for life, "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." You could say she would agree that you have need of endurance (cf. Hebrews 10:36). We would do well to apply Dory's principle to our endurance in the faith through one means of grace, "Just keep reading. Just keep reading. Just keep reading, reading, reading."

Statistics Don't Sanctify

New Year's resolutions are notorious for not working. There's even a named day for when most give up on their resolutions: "Quitters Day," the second Friday of January. But statistics are not determinative. If you started a Bible reading plan on January 1 and have fallen behind or given up, don't throw in the towel. Instead, pick up where you left off and, "Just keep reading. Just keep reading. Just keep reading, reading, reading." The goal in regular Bible reading is not to flawlessly check the boxes of a reading plan. The goal is to know the Lord better, and by knowing him to be made like him.

I heard this week some other statistics, not unique to Bible reading plans that start as a form of New Year's resolutions but the general benefit of regular Bible reading. Here's the salient part:
Researchers found that those who read their Bibles once or twice a week experienced no benefit over those who never read their Bibles. At three times a week, minor gains were detected, but with at least four times a week, everything seemed to spike. Sharing their faith skyrocketed 200%. Discipling others jumped a whopping 230%. In contrast, feelings of loneliness dropped 30%. Anger issues dropped 32%. Relationship bitterness dropped 40%. Alcoholism plummeted by 57%. Feelings of spiritual stagnancy fell 60%. And finally, viewing pornography decreased 61%.
Now, statistics don't sanctify. We don't have a mechanistic view of the means of grace (in fancy theological terms, "ex opere operato"). God does not convey his grace just by virtue of us doing the thing. But you still have to do the thing to receive the benefit. They are means to lay hold of. They are habits to form. So, as you reflect on these statistics, let them serve as a motivator. Other Christians testify that when they read the Bible regularly, at least four times a week, that is when they see marked growth in holiness in other areas of life. What do you have to lose?

Just keep reading. Just keep reading. Just keep reading, reading, reading.