Starting is a whole lot easier than finishing.

That truth remains whether you’re starting a diet, a marriage, a degree, a scrapbook, a race, or a million other things. It’s just plain hard to finish, much less finish strong.

We’ve been talking for the past few weeks about choosing to read the Bible (the cover-to-cover whole Bible). For all of you who have gone through the fun of choosing a translation, formulating a reading plan, and getting ready to start reading, I have a warning for you: It is going to be a lot easier to start your reading plan than it will be to finish it.

You may not think that finishing strong is that important, but let me share an example of why I believe it is:

A few years ago, our church decided to listen to the entire New Testament over the 40 days before Easter via the Faith Comes by Hearing initiative.  Several people decided to gather at the church each weekday at noon to listen to the day’s passage outside at the large cross on our campus.  Since it was during my lunch break, I decided to join the group every Friday. The first day it was amazing.  There were almost 40 people gathered at the cross listening to the Word of God.  Some were eating lunch.  Some were reading along.  Some had brought their children or their aging parents.  Some were on blankets. Some were on lawn chairs.  It was so awesome!  I absolutely loved it.

The last Friday that I went to join the group, it was quite a different scene.  NO ONE was there – not even the usual people who came to set up the sound equipment for the group.

I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, since I could just listen in my car, but then I saw someone approach. She was a visitor to our church.  Someone had told her about the noon readings and she wanted to come.  She was round and pregnant with twins and had walked from one end of the church to the other trying to find the group she’d heard about.  I was so embarrassed to tell her that there was no group that day.

You may never think of it this way, but others are counting on you to finish strong. Yes, reading the entire Bible is a huge undertaking and it’s important to your own spiritual growth. But it’s not just your own spiritual growth that is hindered if you quit.

So know up front that your enthusiasm and stamina will fade at times, but determine in your hearts to finish anyway. You can do it, and it is worth it.

Q: Have you started reading the whole Bible more times than you’ve finished reading it? How do you push through and finish strong?