I have never met a genuine Christian who did not have a desire to grow in their faith and walk in the Lord. I think it happens at conversion. I remember before my conversion I was not a big reader...not even a little reader! Then, almost as miraculous as the new birth is, my desire and hunger to grow led me to a yearning after the Bible as well as other books. I am not saying that you will long to go to seminary but I know that the new life brings new desires, one of which, however small it might be, is a hunger for Bible-based reading.
I believe Bible reading is essential for any growth that will be blessed by God and balanced. By balanced I mean the kind of reading that does not swell the head with knowledge about Jesus without, at the same time, swelling the heart with love for Jesus. Reading the Bible in a structured way is helpful to fight against this imbalance because it keeps you in the whole Bible and not isolated to those portions that you really like.
One way to accomplish this is to get a Bible reading plan. I have used the Discipleship Bible Reading Plan. for years as a way of reading through the Bible in one year (You can see that plan and many others at the link below. You can choose to read the Bible in two or more years, however. The key is not the number of years but the consistency of our days. But before I share how Bible reading is essential for spiritual growth let me give my understanding of spiritual growth. It is having a life that increasingly reflects the character and passions of Jesus because of an ongoing encounter with Him through the Word.
So, how and why is reading the Bible daily essential for our spiritual growth? There are many reasons but let me give you two. One today and the other tomorrow.
FIRST: It Shapes and Sharpens Our Spiritual Thinking.
When we read the Word of God our brains begin to be shaped in a way that impacts our thinking. Once we were dominated by our sinful thoughts but now, because of the Word of the Spirit our thinking is literally being transformed. This is important because the very life of the Christian resides in the realm of the mind. Paul says,
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1, 2).
Paul teaches us in this verse that our ability to discern - to judge between two matter, or, to make the right decision on matters - is intimately tied to our minds being continuously transformed. This transformation is by the Spirit imposed Word in our minds. To grow spiritually means that our lives will increasingly reflect the character of the Lord Jesus Christ. This transformation, however, does not come merely because we wish it to be so. It comes only when we submit our minds to the continual revelation of God found exclusively in the Word of God.
If we are not regularly exposed to the Word we will not, because we cannot, experience growth.
Our lives are holy only to the degree that our minds are being transformed by the Word of the Lord. David put it this way, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word (Psalm 119:9). There is no other connection between where I am now and my spiritual growth other than the Word of God. If I do not think the thoughts of God then I am not able to make decisions that honor the Lord. If I cannot make decisions that honor the Lord I am not growing in the Lord. We need the regular exposure of the Word of God. That means attending worship on Sundays to sit under the preached Word and bathing, daily, in the Word of God in private worship.
If you are not growing spiritually it is not because the Lord does not want you to. It is not even that the devil is preventing you, though he sets traps and deceptions to stunt you. The real reason we may not be growing is due to our posture towards the Word of God. If it is not our necessary food as Job felt in Job 23:12, our minds will be continually held captive to our flesh, our own understanding and this world. Neither of these are friends of grace to help us to love and serve and reflect the Lord.
Make the decision to get in and under the Word today. Consider the following:
Don't overthink it. Choosing a reading plan that can help you become and remain consistent. See Bible Reading Plans
Decide the time of day you will read in order to eliminate distractions
Beg God for grace, help and endurance