It’s that time of year when New Year’s resolutions begin to wane. Life gets in the way. Maybe you just didn’t know what you were thinking. If you made a resolution to read through the Bible this year and find yourself falling behind, don’t give up until you’ve thought it through.

Take a Good Look at Your Priorities

What are you doing instead of reading your Bible? Are you under pressure at work? Is family time getting in your way? Do you find yourself daydreaming or playing on another app when you have time to read? Maybe this isn’t the season to read daily. That’s okay. Life happens. Sometimes, you have to focus on other commitments. But if you’re struggling from a lack of discipline, push yourself through to see changes in your character. Challenge yourself to read daily before you check social media or get breakfast. Developing habits isn’t easy, but it is rewarding.

What Are Your Goals?

Are you reading through the Bible to tick off a box that you did it? Or are you reading scripture to gain a better understanding of it? If you’re just checking a box, then get caught up and keep moving forward. If it’s for knowledge, then you should change your mentality. Think of it as if you’re working on a relationship. You can’t put a timeline on learning.

Stop Condemning Yourself

Guilt has a tendency to slow people down. You feel as if you’ll never catch up and that God won’t love you anymore. Condemnation keeps you from spiritually growing. You’re not trying to get a “good grade” from a teacher. Reading the Bible doesn’t make God love you or not; it’s just a way to understand religion and gain understanding.

Develop Perseverance

Developing a habit builds character traits beyond discipline. Perseverance helps you keep going when it gets tough. If you want to read through the Bible in a year, it’s completely doable. But you’re going to have to keep pushing through the difficulties. Fortunately, this trait will help you in other areas of your life.

Are You Reading for Content or Completion?

Some of the passages in the Bible deserve to be read slowly. Some of the Psalms are poetic and full of imagery that take time to understand. Every chapter in Proverbs is full of wisdom that is easy to overlook when you’re just reading to finish the assignment. There may be times when you want to slow down to meditate on a passage. Give yourself permission to step outside the plan when you’re reading for content.

Remember Your “Why”

Why did you begin a reading plan? Keep this in mind when you’re thinking about quitting. Don’t lose sight of your objective. The most successful entrepreneurs have a business plan that outlines their mission, vision and goals. They don’t want to forget their focus. Learn from them. You don’t need a full business plan, but you should have a reason behind your goal. Write it down and put it with your Bible.

Get Accountability

Share your reading with someone. It’s not necessarily about keeping each other on task, but about processing what you’re reading by sharing it with someone else. You’ll get excited to talk about your daily reading and want to keep going. Life is meant to be shared with those you love.

Advice Not Just for Reading Through Your Bible

If you’re ready to give up on your exercise plan or want to kick your healthy diet out the door, you can use some of these techniques to help you stay on track. Give yourself permission to ease up on yourself, but don’t give up on your goals.