Do you meditate? Perhaps you say, “no, I don’t have time, I’ve got too much on my mind!” Then you are meditating! What you are giving your mind over to and continually going back to is … meditating! We all meditate, it’s just a matter of Who and what we meditate upon, that makes the difference!
We all meditate, and that is true, we often wrongly think that “meditation,” is sitting on the floor with legs crossed, eyes closed and with arms and hands extended from the side, clasping our thumbs to another finger, sitting and trying to clear your mind of everything…!
We often think “meditating,” is a position but, no! Mediating is what you continually give your mind over to think on, and the reality we are always meditating over and over, at times on anxiety and fears, and have trained ourselves to do so! And as followers of Christ we are told we need to “renew” our minds, and this we do by developing new thinking habits such as the Psalmist tells us in psalm 1:2″ …his delight is in the Law of the LORD and in it meditates day and night.”
Meditating is focusing your thoughts on one thing and thinking on it over and over…and reflecting on what God’s Word says about Him, His promises, His will, His ways, and so God can speak to us with intent to influence our thinking so we align with God’s thinking as revealed in His Word to shape our thinking, motivations and choices in our living!
Some people will tell you, “you must have a quiet time,” and in reality it can be anything but as all kind of distracting thoughts can fly through your mind. Thoughts of what you need to do, forgot to do…etc…and after your “time” you come out exhausted mentally, emotionally, and feeling guilty because you are not having this “marvelous experience” as others lead you to believe you should be having and with some the inference could even be, – “there must be something wrong with you… you must not be right with the LORD… ” For some it can be a pride issue, seeking to exalt themselves and are saying to you without words, “…you are not as spiritual as…. me!” And so you dread “a quiet time,” but have been led to believe this is what a “good Christian,” does! And so now you are living a performance orientated life to try and fit in nd be accepted by those around you, rather than pursuing a relationship with the LORD. A “Quiet time” is not something to do but Someone to meet with and know better. But even these “quiet times” can end up being times of anxiety fueling moments! It seems you can’t win, “But God…” has called you to Himself, not a place or a performance. A “Quiet time,” is not meant to enslave you but give you some time alone to cut off time away from others, so not to be interrupted, that might seek to distract and give you time to pray, praise, read His Word to get His perspective and know Him better. And that sometimes means encountering thoughts that bombard your thinking.
The evil one does not recognize a “quiet time” as a “no-go” area!
So, don’t feed your fears, anxieties, by worrying about will you have a”good quiet time” that others approve of! Now you are living controlled by the fear of others opinions of you. No, a thousand times no- Jesus died to deliver you, not to place you in bondage to the fear of others opinions or put you in a performance trap. What will you end up thinking about constantly? What others think of your “quiet time,” and the fear of others opinions and guess what? That is meditating on those things. The GOD NEWS is, He already completely accepts you for you are “accepted in the Beloved!”-{Ephesians 1:6}…It would be better, more edifying for you to think on Him, His Word and such a verse of His total acceptance, favor upon you and that for eternity based on His performance, not yours!
Yes, we ALL Meditate… and it is what we think on continuously, and bring our thoughts back to. Some say you need to “empty your mind,” but Scripture says we need to replace our minds with lies, and “fill” it with His Word to have His perspective on Him, His Will, His Ways, his Promises, Himself, to know Him better and have His Word shape our thinking to influence our choices, for His Honor!
One way we RETRAIN our thinking is to “Set your Mind on things above where Christ is”-{Read Colossians 3:1-3}. We get a heavenly mind to help us live on earth with Heaven’s perspective as we renew our mind in His WORD, as the Holy Spirit helps us do so. – {Read Romans 12:2; Philippians 4:8-9}
Is it a fight? Yes, some days worse than others, “BUT GOD..”…“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”-{Phil 2:13 nlt}.
One way is to take a verse and read it several times and then re read and emphasize One word at a time as you read and re read until you have emphasized every word from first to last one word at at a time and for example if you were to memorize, mediate upon His Word in Psalm 1:2 there are 19 words in the verse, so you would repeat it 19 times emphasizing one word at a time, as I have demonstrated through highlighting in BOLD…for example, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- {Psalm 1:2}.”But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”-“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- ” But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- ” But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”-” But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- ” But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”- You get the idea.. AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT you will have memorized and can recall again and again and the Holy Spirit can bring back to your mind years later when needed!
Meditating is focusing on one thing and thinking on it over and over through the lens of Scripture, and talking to yourself about it,…and the fruit is a changing life as Psalm 1:3 testifies!
We feed our mind’s with His Word, and depending upon Him to remind us when our minds are straying and to develop and strengthen new Godly habits in our THINKING…. in those quiet moments, CHOOSING to THINK on His Word. We reap Peace when we give Him our anxiety or we multiply Anxiety when we refuse His peace.
What Truth will you speak to yourself about and think on now? –