FEBRUARY – Meditating on God’s Word

by Peggy Rice, Hope Coach Trainer for Fresh Hope

Earlier this week, at our Fresh Hope for Mental Health Support Group, we discussed Meditation and Mindfulness. Not the mystical state of “harmony and serenity,” but the Biblical concept of meditating on the Word of God.

Studies about Mindfulness and Meditation have shown it to be very effective, when practiced consistently, with easing anxiety and depression symptoms. There is a physical affect – slowing the heart and the breathing rates, allowing my body to relax. My blood pressure normalizes. I’m not breathing shallowly, but deeply – filling my lungs, getting the oxygen-enriched blood to flow through my systems. The National Institute of Health reports that mindfulness and meditation can even help improve sleep and provide pain relief.

The Bible says:

• Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 NIV
• You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT
• Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 NIV
• I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Psalm 145:5 NLT
• And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT
• Psalm 119 has many verses, affirming that we can focus on God’s Word, His decrees, His works, His promises.

So, what am I supposed to meditate on? How do I pick a verse, or a topic, or a word? How do I even begin to do this meditating-on-God’s-Word-thing?

First, I find a quiet comfortable place. One where I can sit with my body well supported – a comfortable chair perhaps. I don’t lie down – the goal isn’t to fall asleep (though meditating at night is mentioned several times in the Bible, and it is a good way to calm racing nighttime thoughts, and maybe even bringing about sleep.) I take some slow deep breaths, and gently close my eyes, or fix my gaze across the room, where I can let my focus soften for a few moments.

I slowly read the verse/verses out loud (keep reading – I’ll offer some suggestions coming up), in a relaxing voice. It’s good to read it aloud – so that my ears hear it – not just in my head; I’m using more of my senses that way. I read slowly, pausing after each phrase. I allow myself to really listen to the words, and hold there a few moments. God might want to bring some truth from His Word into my heart! So I don’t rush.

When I’ve read all the way through, I just sit in the moment. I want to see if any of what I read “jumps out at me.” Maybe a phrase repeats itself in my head. Then I ask God what He wants to teach me about what I’m thinking on.

When I’m done (and there’s no time limit or requirement – it may be just a few minutes to start – that’s ok!), I slowly inhale through my nose for a count of four, hold my breath for four, and exhale through my mouth for a count of four.

There! I did it! I meditated on God’s Word!

When I meditate from the Bible, I like to focus on what Scripture teaches me about God: His names, His attributes, His character. This way, I have one word to help keep my concentration. Using the acronym FEBRUARY, here are some attributes of God, and supporting Scripture verses to read.

F – Faithful: Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Psalm 36:5 NLT

E – Emmanuel (God with us): Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NLT

B – Beautiful: One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4 NIV

R – Rock: The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

U – Understanding: Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:5 NIV

A – Able:Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, … Ephesians 3:20 ESV

R – Rescues: “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 NIV

Y – Yahweh (Lord): I AM WHO I AM. And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: “I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:14 ESV; defined in Exodus 34:6-7a: And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…”

When first beginning to meditate on Scripture, it’s normal that your thoughts will wander. You might begin thinking about what to fix for dinner, or the tasks that lay before you for the day, or what you watched on TV last night, or any myriad of things! That’s normal – our thought life can be very distracting! But as you practice focusing on God’s Word, you’ll get better at it! It’s like anything else – it improves the more you do it.

In the meantime, when you find your thoughts wandering, just gently remind yourself that you’re focusing on God. And come back to the word/verse/phrase you’re using for the day. Just whisper it – out loud or in your mind – and bring those thoughts back.

There are many ways to meditate on God’s Word. This acronym was just a suggestion, of course. If you want more, you can find lists of names and supporting Scriptures just through Googling: “What are the names of God?” Or “Attributes of God.” Or take a familiar Scripture – maybe you know Psalm 23 by heart – and read it a verse at a time. There’s an old traditional monastic practice called Lectio Divina, where you slowly listen to or read Scripture several times, and see what phrases jump out at you, then meditate and pray on that specifically. You can even journal on it.

Lots of options here! And you can grow into new practices as you get more comfortable with it. But you gotta start somewhere, which is why I suggest just one word – a characteristic of God – to help you stay focused. Best wishes to you…let me know how it goes!

Peggy has been involved with Fresh Hope as a Group Facilitator for over 6 years and as the Hope Coach Trainer for over 4 years. She can be reached at peggy@freshhope.us.