Have you ever found yourself so busy doing ministry that the only time you study your Bible is when you have a lesson to prepare? It's easy to slide into that habit. But in a way, that's like preparing a meal but never eating. Sometimes we need to just let God's Word feed us, without worrying about how we will nourish others. We need to engage in study just for the purpose of building our relationship with Jesus.

The spiritual practice of study and reflection on God's Word is one of the most life-giving and practical of all the disciplines. Most of us admit we do not have this life fully figured out—we need wisdom, and the Bible is full of it. So often we're perplexed by life but don't access the wisdom that may be sitting on a shelf, gathering dust.

Some of the wisdom lies right on the surface: love one another, for example. Other treasures lie deeper within. Deeper study takes us to more profound understanding.

Being consistent about a time to read each day is much more important ...