Usually, meditation is associated with Eastern religions or New Age practices, but it also plays an important role in the Christian faith. One of the most effective forms of meditation for Christians is to focus on the Word of God; unlike other meditative practices that require you to "clear" the mind, this form instead involves reflecting deeply on God's truth and assimilating it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Topic
Step 1. Define "meditation" in the Christian context
In a secular context, meditation is associated with the liberation of the mind and relaxation of the body; Meditating on God's Word, like any other form of Christian meditation, instead involves focusing and thinking deeply about God's truth.
- Consider the words that God said to Joshua in Joshua 1: 8 (CEI 2008): "Let not the book of this law depart from your mouth, but meditate on it day and night, to observe and put into practice all that is written in it; thus; you will complete your journey and you will be successful ".
- Even though this verse technically refers only to what Christians consider to be the first five books of the Bible, you can still apply the concept to meditation on the whole Bible. Meditating on the Word of God should be done frequently with the overall goal of increasing understanding of the Word and applying it to daily life.
Step 2. Meditate on a verse or paragraph
Usually, the most common way to meditate on God's Word is to identify a single verse or paragraph of the Bible to meditate on; you will have to analyze it, break it down minutely and explore its meaning over a dedicated period of time.
There is no "wrong" choice. However, if you are unsure, a good starting point is a verse from the New Testament, especially from one of the four Gospels (of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John); As for the Old Testament, the Book of Psalms and the Book of Proverbs also contain excellent verses to meditate on
Step 3. Focus your meditation on a specific topic
Another option to try is to choose a theme extensively covered in the Bible; in this case, instead of meditating on a specific text, you will have to identify several passages that expose the same topic and think carefully about how it is defined and elaborated.
For example, you might focus on the topic of forgiveness. Use a study Bible or index to find various verses about forgiveness, then read as many as you can, keeping in mind the context of each verse and comparing them to each other
Step 4. Focus on the meaning of a word
This option is related to meditating on a specific topic but, instead of dealing with a large topic, you will have to dedicate yourself to the context of one or more passages to fully understand the meaning of an important word.
For example, you might choose the word "Lord". Look for verses that contain this term written with both capital and lowercase letters and study the contextual meaning for both versions. You can use external resources such as a dictionary to broaden your understanding and compare the religious use of a term with the secular one
Step 5. Study a book of the Bible
This choice implies spending a greater amount of time reading an entire book of the Bible rather than focusing only on a short passage because you will have to analyze and explore the meaning of the book you have chosen a little at a time, considering it both in its entirety and in its components. individual.
If this sounds difficult and daunting, consider starting with a relatively short book, such as Esther's. You can use a study Bible to help you understand if you want, but it is not required
Part 2 of 3: Focus on God
Step 1. Find a quiet place
As with secular forms of meditation, meditating on God's Word also requires detaching oneself from the noise and distractions of the world long enough to focus on one's goal.
- Doing multiple things at once is considered a valuable skill these days, but you won't be able to go all out on a task if you try to do something else at the same time as well. Therefore, you will focus better on God's Word if you minimize distractions while meditating.
- Try to devote at least 15-30 minutes to meditation. Tell family members or roommates that you need time to concentrate, then retreat to an empty, quiet room and make yourself comfortable, but not so much that you risk falling asleep.
Step 2. Calm the soul
External silence is not the only form of calm necessary for this type of meditation: you will also have to seek inner calm by putting aside doubts, fears and any other misleading thoughts.
Don't feel too guilty if your mind goes back to everyday matters at first, but don't let your thoughts stagnate there either. As soon as you realize that you are letting yourself be dragged into other ways by anxiety or other thoughts, take a moment to pause and conscientiously bring your attention back to God, even with the help of prayer
Step 3. Read the Bible
Open the Bible and read the verse or verses you plan to meditate on. Spend as much time as you need to get a basic understanding of the words, so bookmark the verse to return to later as you will need to refer to it constantly during meditation.
- Try re-reading a passage after reading it for the first time. When you reread it, say the words aloud and intentionally emphasize different parts with the tone, opening yourself up to new insights as you do it; repeat the exercise during meditation as many times as you need or want.
- If you see fit, you can improve your understanding by using other tools as well; for example, you can research the cultural context, read verses that are similar in tone or topic, or define obsolete terms by consulting a dictionary or thesaurus.
Step 4. Pray during the readings
Spend a few minutes praying to God to accompany your meditations and open your heart to the truth and wisdom contained within His Word.
While the Bible may seem like little more than words on a page, remember that the text you read comes directly from God. Asking the Holy Spirit to broaden your understanding as you meditate is, essentially, like asking an author to help you understand better. his work
Part 3 of 3: Meditate on the Word
Step 1. Take notes
Reread the passage you chose, but this time take notes on the content. You will be able to highlight, underline or write short notes directly on the page, but it is also advisable to keep a special diary where you can write more elaborate notes.
Highlighting ideas can help you pay attention to key elements in later reading; however, you will be able to reflect on the verses more easily if you write down the notes for each one, because summarizing the ideas and interacting with them in this way will force you to think fully about the words in front of you
Step 2. Think aloud
Even if the place where you are is quiet and so is your soul, do not be afraid to give voice to your thoughts, because speaking on the passage can help you process information and decipher its mysteries more effectively.
- You can express your thoughts aloud in the form of a prayer, but you can also do this to help you come up with more complex ideas.
- The Bible is often defined as the "living Word" of God. As the adjective "alive" suggests, the text should be understood as active and, above all, interactive, so don't hesitate to voice your questions, praise God's promises or honestly reply to what you read.
Step 3. Memorize the words
While this is not feasible when meditating on multiple verses or entire books, it is often a good idea to memorize the passage word for word when it comes to meditating on a short paragraph or single verse.
Consider using the block-building storage method. Repeat a short word or phrase about 6-12 times, then add new words or phrases to the initial version and repeat it all over again; continue in this way until the end of the song
Step 4. Rework the chosen song
Spend a few minutes writing the meaning of the passage in your own words, going into as much detail as possible and expanding as much meaning as you can find.
Paraphrase the passages you read by rewriting them in your own words, but remember to adhere faithfully to the meaning contained in the Lord's words because the idea is not to alter or modify the truth, but to make it accessible in simpler terms
Step 5. Evoke an emotional reaction
Analyze in depth the passage on which you focus, trying to define with precision the will of God as it is expressed through these words and remaining in conformity with it in order to enter into communion with God at least in a minimal part.
By disposing to feel an emotion with the Lord, you will make the passage you read more "true" for you, thus creating a richer experience; instead of seeing them as simple text on a page, you will find God's words far more meaningful, just as they always have been
Step 6. Actively seek the blessings of meditation
Like secular meditation, meditating on God's Word can give you a new sense of calm, but the blessings of that practice can extend far deeper. As you meditate, seek the guidance, comfort, joy, reassurance, and wisdom that come from a thorough understanding of divine truth.
- As Psalm 1: 1-3 (CEI 2008) points out: "Blessed is the man who […] in the law of the Lord finds his joy, his law meditates day and night".
- Meditating on God's Word will allow you to understand more fully what the Lord wants from you and for you, thus offering you guidance. Reading God's promises and miracles will comfort you in difficult times and give you an advanced sense of joy, while better understanding God's redemptive love will give you reassurance. Finally, by improving your understanding of God's Word through meditation, you will have at your disposal a new wisdom needed to navigate in spiritual darkness.
Step 7. Apply the words to your life
Once you understand the depth and significance of the meditative phase, you will need to take action. Do an analysis of your life to determine how you can apply your new understanding of God's Word to your behaviors and perspectives, then make the necessary changes immediately.
- Consider the words of James 2:17 (CEI 2008), which states: "So also faith: if it is not followed by works, in itself it is dead".
- Works are a sign of faith and understanding. Meditating on God's Word is a practice designed to improve both faith and understanding, so works should be a natural result of actual meditation.
- That said, don't assume that a single 30-minute meditation session will make it easier for you to live by God's Word for the rest of your life. Meditation is a discipline and, as such, you will need to work on it regularly and consciously to reap its full benefits.
