Sometimes the thoughts I meditate on take me down faster than the actual challenges I face. Car trouble sends my mind racing to thoughts of “Woe is me; my life is so stressful.” My daughter leaves after Christmas, and before I know it minor post-holiday blues change into a narrative of “Woe is me; my nest is empty.”
We meditate more often than we realize, but on the wrong things.
As if rising Corona Virus numbers and sharp political and social divides in our nation weren’t enough, you probably have your own personal set of challenges to think about. God calls us to be people of faith and hope, but I find it easy to feel anxious and worried instead.
How are peace, hope, and joy even possible?
Scripture challenges us: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2), but this can only happen when we replace our stinking thinking with truth from God’s Word. Sometimes we need to choose to turn away from our own worried, anxious thoughts and focus on truth from the Word of God instead.
In God’s Word, we encounter God’s character, His ways, and His promises. We discover His love and faithfulness. Through His Word, we experience His presence and hear His voice. As our minds abide in God’s Word, He renews our thoughts.
Why Meditate on Scripture?
Reading the Bible is a good first step to experiencing renewed thinking, but pondering on its truths and putting it into practice unlock its power in our lives.
We meditate on Scripture to get God’s perspective.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
Meditating on Scripture gives us a renewed perspective on our lives and circumstances. It helps us set our minds on the things of God. We remember that even in the challenges we’re facing right now, God has a higher plan we cannot see. We can trust Him.
We meditate on Scripture to align our hearts with God’s purposes.
“…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose…” (Isaiah 55:11)
Isaiah 55 reminds us God’s Word never fails to bear fruit and will always accomplish His plans. As we meditate on Scripture, we’re aligning our hearts with God’s purposes. As we take put God’s Word into practice, it bears fruit in our lives.
We remember our Lord’s purposes go far beyond our own plans for a comfortable life where we get everything we want easily and quickly.
How to Meditate on Scripture
Meditation isn’t rocket science. It means to think about or reflect on something. As we engage in Biblical meditation, we reflect on truths from Scripture and what they mean for our lives. We interact with God in prayer through His Word. These tips will help you get started.
Choose a short Bible passage you’d like to apply to your life. You might start with Psalm 23, Psalm 100, John 15:4-9, or Isaiah 55:8-11.
Read it through several times and reflect.
- How does it encourage or challenge you?
- How could you live it out or practice it today?
To continue your meditation, try one or more of the following:
1. Read it out loud.
2. Highlight it in your Bible. (You can find my color code system here.)
4. Take a paper and pen; copy the passage slowly and thoughtfully.
5. Print it out and mark it up: underline, circle, or box words that impact you.
6. Memorize it.
7. Read it in the morning, to start off your day.
8. Read it before bed, so it’s the last thing you think about.
As we meditate on the Bible, inner transformation takes place. We focus on God’s faithfulness instead of our fears. We experience more peace and hope when we turn from worry and choose trust. We won’t change overnight, but we can take small steps of progress today.
Now it’s your turn: What helps you win the battle against negative thinking? Leave a comment to tell me about it.
Need ideas on how to get more out of your quiet time? I wrote More of God: A Distracted Woman’s Guide to More Meaningful Quiet Times to help overwhelmed and distracted women recover a fresh sense of God’s presence, learn to hear His voice, and grow their prayer lives. Click on the image below for more info:
Note: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase, I earn a small commission towards the maintenance of this site at no extra cost to you.
Follow this link to find me on Facebook for daily encouragement.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
The post How to Meditate on the Bible for More Peace and Hope appeared first on Faith Spilling Over.