Good Intentions

Recently my pastor has made many attempts to help the congregation understand the extreme importance of reading and studying God's Word daily and at length. Several months ago he challenged the congregation to read the Bible for one hour every day for one month. One hour. It shouldn't be so difficult. I do a lot of other things for one hour or more: sleep, work, watch TV, read other books, talk on the phone. It should be a piece of cake to read for an hour. Well, after about a week, I all but gave up. In the morning I try to spend time reading my Bible. I have found that it sets my mind on things above and I can tell a difference in my attitude throughout the day. I started with the challenge to read for an hour and then it dwindled to a half hour. Lately, I have been noticing it is creeping into 10 to 15 minutes like it used to be. Or, I am choosing to stay in bed longer and not read at all. Why is it that even when I know it is the best thing for me to do, I still choose what I want to do?! It is very frustrating. It reminds me of Paul's letter to the Romans: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." Basically, I need to overcome my sin nature which tells me that there are other things I want to be doing, and spend the time reading that I know will benefit me more in the long run. So, I will continue to fight this upward battle with my flesh.