It's Worth It: What I'm Choosing for 2026

By Darla Butterfield December 27th, 2025

I debated even writing this blog post. I felt like I've said all these things before, so why not just reshare a previous post? But that persistent nudge wouldn't leave me alone…someone needs to hear this message, a fresh take on it from where I am in this moment. Maybe that's you.

I opened my Bible to the book of Revelation, my final book in this year's reading plan, and I knew decisions would need to be made soon. Should I read through the Bible again next year? What plan would I use? Is my heart in the right place as I read Scripture, or has it turned into a legalistic task I check off each day?

This would be my sixth time reading through the entire Bible in a year. Was the time commitment worth it again? I knew in my heart the answer…YES! As I look ahead to 2026, to the unknowns and fears I so easily slip into, I knew what would ground me and speak to me in the moments when I need it most. Consistent time in God's Word daily is what I need. It's like asking myself if I should breathe air every day in 2026! Time in the Bible refreshes my soul in a way nothing else can.

Even if I can recite a multitude of Bible stories, there are new things to grasp in the pages of Scripture. The Holy Spirit can speak to me through a memorized verse in a way that changes my heart and attitude like only His Word can.

So I started my search… what would my Bible reading plan be for 2026? I like to switch things up from year to year. Sometimes it's a new plan or reading in a different version of the Bible. I chose the NLT Chronological One Year Study Bible. I wanted to read the New Living Translation, and I like that this came as a Bible with the daily readings in order. It also provides a short summary and questions for each day's reading.

Here's my challenge to you… spend a moment today asking the Lord how to approach daily time in His Word for 2026. Maybe it'll be a year-through-the-Bible plan for the first time or the 50th time. Maybe it'll be slowing down to read a few verses or a chapter a day through specific books of the Bible, through the Old Testament, or through the New Testament. Maybe it's a different reading plan you've never tried before. Whatever it is, be open and willing to obey the Holy Spirit's leading in your life.

Just don't give up. Don't fall for the lie that reading your Bible is too hard, too time-consuming, or not worth the investment. Don't think that because you've read the whole Bible or grew up in church, you don't need to keep reading it. That daily investment in Scripture will change your life and grow your faith in a way that nothing else can.

There will be hard days. There will be times when you don't feel like reading. There will be passages of Scripture that are boring or confusing, and you won't know why they're included in the Bible. But there will also be moments when words leap off the page and anchor in your heart, speaking directly to a situation you're facing. There will be stories of faith and trust in God that become stored in your soul, brought to memory at just the moment when you need them most. You'll learn more about God's unchanging character and the vastness of His love for you… and you'll never be the same because of it.

Keep going, start over, or try something new, dear one. It's worth it.