I know I have lots of smart, spiritual friends out there, so I am enlisting your help. I am in a bit of scripture-reading slump...I won't tell you how much I am exaggerating. I am trying to think of a way to get excited about reading my scriptures...I just haven't found anything to motivate myself to do it. Now that I don't have to read for seminary, or class, etc. etc., basically now that I'm not being forces, my scripture reading has been much more infrequent.
I used to always read at night before I went to bed...just a chapter or even just a verse. Now I go to bed pretty quickly usually, and if I do read, I want to read something fun and relaxing. When I read my scriptures, my mind often wanders...especially at night. And please please please...I will never wake up early to read my scriptures, it just won't happen! Maybe if I ate breakfast at home, that would be a good time, but I usually wait until I get to work to eat, and that doesn't really work. I have tried reading them online, skipping around based on opening to a random page, starting the Bible (I stopped around Kings...it gets pretty boring around then!) I've tried reading with a supplement to let me know what is going on, but I hate flipping between multiple sources. The last time I started reading, I started reading the New Testament in order by book, but I got tired of "rereading" (I know, I'm a bad person for not wanting to reread, but hey, that's the truth).
So, what do you guys do to stay motivated to read? How do you get excited? How do you build it into your routine (or lack of routine?) I need help!
7 comments:
true confession, i've been only reading the conference ensign for the past month. it's something that can vaguely-officially count as modern scripture, plus i missed conference while we were in italy so i've got to read it sometime right? but i love it. i read one talk a day and i actually look forward to it, and i actually learn and feel like a better person afterwards. i realized that i'd started the BM over again in nov 2008 and after a year of reading almost every day i was still only in mosiah. that's how hard it was to be motivated to read more than a few verses each night. (i won't read in the morning either!) so i've decided that every six months i will switch to conference until i finish and then i will go back to the BM. i'm hoping it will provide needed breaks and prevent future slumps. because, last week i decided to read the BM again one night, and it was short and quick but i enjoyed it. i think i'll have more stamina for it regularly again soon and in the meantime i am still getting in time everyday for honest spiritual pondering. and that's really what the end goal of daily scripture study is right? to bring the spirit into your day? i'm pretty sure the words of the current prophet count :)
We have a program coming up... STAY TUNED!
So Tate and I decided to read them together after dinner each night. We eat a dessert (which usually keeps Aiden ocuppied in his high chair) and read together. I need someone else to keep me on track.
P.S. Thanks for the jeans! I have a couple of outfid ideas to wear them with!
You should try reading it in Spanish. They just came out with the Queen Valeria Bible that has all of the cross references so it's pretty amazing. Now, honestly, I wax and wane on this. Some days I love it, others--well, verses go by and I get nothing, well, let me rephrase, I don't UNDERSTAND anything. I am a firm believer that it's all about habit, not necessarily that your mind is wandering or not. You're doing what you're supposed to be doing. I had a hard time reading scriptures in seminary and my bishop at the time told me that I should say my prayers BEFORE reading and pray for insight and to feel the Spirit. A little tedious at times, but really made a difference. Can I tell you, I'm reading in Helaman right now and there have been times I just couldn't stop reading because I was so engaged--something about reading the BoM in Spanish makes me feel closer to that nation. The other day I read the part where Nephi foretells the judge dying in his judgment seat. I had a dream that night that someone had made clones and was plotting to kill the bishop during sacrament meeting. Pretty funny. Anyways, you could also try in the middle of the day during dead time, like right when you get home or take a bath and read or between classes or during lunch. But, it's all about you having one personal spiritual experience a day, whatever that entails (Ensign, fervent prayer, one verse, marking your favorites), you're doing it. Oh, speaking of marking favorites. I wanna say it was in one of the recent conference talks, maybe Pres. Eyring's? Where they marked up and tagged references that were important, so Atonement, Sacrifice, etc. Whatever you're going through. I might try that when I'm finished with BoM. Trust me though, you're not alone on this one. It's an ongoing battle and atleast you're aware of it.
It's hard for me to keep reading my scriptures ... But what seems to work is I've made a written inventory of my day sans scripture reading vs. a day with scripture reading. I tried to notice the little things (and a lot of the time it's hard to notice) and for some reason, that works. I just want that good day ... As I said, a lot of times it's hard to do an inventory, but that's what I try to do ...
Last month I made a goal of when I wanted to finish the BofM. Then I looked at how much I had left and figured out a page number I would have toread per day to reach my goal. That was the first part. The second part was taht I made a rule that I could not read any thing else until after I read my scriptures. It has actually been working quite well.
And the last thing is what Ina said... we will be starting a self-help program soon!
Good Luck!
I read an article in the July (?) Ensign where a missionary was having the same problem with motivation. His mission pres told him to prepare for the day - exercise, shower, dressed, and then present yourself to the Lord. I've done this (minus the exercising and showering, but I'm dressed!) and have found that I have more peace in the day. I am also following the manual I had in religion class and read the scriptures listed and then the discussion. Two books - scriptures and manual. Simple.
And pray for help, that always works wonders :)
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