If you ever feel badly because of super slow progress in your Bible reading, this one’s for you.

Yes, this is for the slowpokes and the plodders.

Like the guy who has been making his way through the Gospel of John for weeks now or the gal that has been chipping away at Romans for months. They’re going at a turtle’s pace. If it were a race, they would have been lapped multiple times by now.

But that’s just it – they realize it’s not a race. There’s no pressure to check a box or turn in a report. They read so that they can grow in their relationship with God – not to fulfill a religious duty.

“Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

Romans 15:4 (NLT)

Neither of them would consider themselves Bible scholars, but they’re both understanding a little more each day. And… they’re probably not going to get through the whole Bible in a year. In fact, at the current pace, it’s probably going to take them a few years to read every book of the Bible. But they are okay with that.

The way they see it, it is better to take your time and try to absorb the Word rather than just blowing through it so you can say you did. The more they read, the more they realize that there is beauty to behold in Scripture…hurry and you might miss it.

After all, who runs through a garden? Take your time and invariably you’ll find something that hits the spot that day. It’s almost as if the Bible is alive or something.

Absorbing and applying a single paragraph in God’s word is more beneficial than hurriedly skimming three chapters. Just like you get more nutritional benefit when you chew your food, so it is with Scripture. Chewing on it as opposed to swallowing whole is healthier.

So if your going the pace of a turtle in your Bible reading, remember slow isn’t bad. It’s good. Take your time. Ask questions. Think about it. Pray about it. Really, there’s no hurry.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.