A plan is a wonderful thing.  We plan events and trips.  Ball teams execute a game plan.  Builders meticulously follow a building plan.  If you want to lose weight, you follow a dietary plan and most likely an exercise plan.  We do not expect important things to happen by accident, so we develop and carry out what we believe to be an effective plan to reach our goals.  Why do we not apply the same fervor to our spiritual growth?  Why do we expect spiritual growth to happen by accident? The Bible definitely doesn’t.

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness… – 1 Timothy 4:7

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:12-14

“Train yourself.”  “Constant practice.”  These are not words that indicate something happening by accident.  Spiritual maturity takes place over time as a person intentionally seeks God in the pages of His Word, then faithfully practices the lessons learned.

What is your plan for Bible reading?  What verses are you planning to memorize? What topic are you planning to investigate?  What Bible character do you plan to analyze and whose example you plan to follow?

How much time do you plan to spend in prayer each day this week?  When will you pray?  Where?  How?

In what ways do you plan to stretch your faith and serve outside of your comfort zone this year?   What about a new ministry, mission trip or a service project?

How do you plan to grow in your financial stewardship?

If you want to grow, don’t expect it to happen automatically or accidentally.  Develop and follow a plan to grow.

Click here for some great Bible reading plans.