by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
As Christians, sometimes we hear the word “meditation” and we back off as if we are being pursued by a cult. We associate this practice with New Age religions. But is meditation a bad thing?
The negative
image comes from eastern religions that teach people to empty their minds, hum,
and sit on the floor with their eyes closed.
But meditation
simply means thinking about something. The difference in the benefit (or
damage) is in what we think about.
Give ear to my
words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King
and my God: for to you I will pray. (Psalm
5:1 AKJV)
We can see from
this Scripture that biblical meditation is thinking about God’s Word and
praying.
Romans 12:1-2 are verses I depend on frequently because they tell us what our thoughts can do to us. This is the Passion Translation.
Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God's marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God's will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
Where do thoughts come from?
- Thoughts can come from past experiences, such as rejection, condemnation, and guilt.
- Thoughts can come from other people’s opinions. When we value what another person says about us more than what God says, we can fall into comparison and depression.
- Or thoughts can come from God. Of course, these are the best ones. The more we remain in God’s Word, the more our thoughts will lean toward the way He thinks.
- Thoughts can change the direction of our lives – for good or bad because thoughts create words and words can create actions.
4 benefits of
following Romans 12:1-2 are:
1. We learn
what God’s will for our lives is.
2. We are
transformed. We can
walk in victory over sin and temptation because we have become stronger in the
knowledge of Christ. When we know who we are, we can recognize what is not of
God and we won’t give in to it.
3. We learn to
control our emotions.
Thoughts can cause depression and physical symptoms. The more we think
depressing thoughts, the more depressed we become. We can live in stress and
have the physical symptoms of high blood pressure, headaches, and ulcers.
4. We learn
about the identity Christ gave us and we can gain more wisdom.
Our words and thoughts do control our lives. This is why biblical meditation is so important. Meditation is not a bad thing, as long as the thoughts are God's.
For those who leave a comment between Thursday, May 1 and Wednesday, May 7 at midnight, I will draw for a giveaway of Duane Sheriff’s book, Christian Meditation, Setting Your Mind on Things Above.
Please join
the conversation and share your favorite Scripture that keeps your mind stayed
on God.
When Jesus went to find quiet placs to pray, I've always thought that He also meditated during those quiet times. When we find those peaceful, quiet places, and shut our minds to the noise, hustle and bustle of busy lives, I believe God fills the empty spaces in our hearts and minds, that we might draw nearer to Him. Thank you for this message of faith and hope, Barbara, and the message that God is always with us, wherever we are.
ReplyDeleteJesus was our example of being still to know that God is God. Getting away from distractions is how we can hear what our Lord says to us. Meditating on His Word heals our souls. Thanks for sharing, Katherine. Blessings!
DeleteI consider mediation a synonym for prayer because I often pray by listening: sitting at the throne of Jesus in utter stillness and letting his thoughts guide me. I love this line: "The more we remain in God’s Word, the more our thoughts will lean toward the way He thinks." This is so true, and not only in His Word but in His presences as well. "Be still and know that I am God."
ReplyDelete"Sitting at the throne of Jesus in utter stillness and letting his thoughts guide me." That is true meditation! Thanks for sharing, Candyce.. Blessings!
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DeleteThe Psalms are full of references to meditation. The key, as you’ve said, is what you meditate on. Meditation on God’s word is a way to file it away, making it easily accessible when situations arise.
ReplyDeleteYes, Terri, the Psalms are filled with wonderful examples of keeping our minds stayed on God. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteThank you all for sharing your thoughts. The winner of the book is Katherine Pasour. Congratulations, Katherine!
ReplyDeleteI loved this message Barbara. I’ve always enjoyed doing some meditation on Bible verses. It so relaxing and gives me a new perspective on the verse.
ReplyDeleteMeditation does give us that deep perspective to know what God is saying. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Yvonne. Blessings!
DeleteBarbara, thank you for this wonderful explanation of meditation and how God uses His Word to transform us. I especially like the section about where our thoughts come from. In my experience, God meets me in my mind as I meditate upon His Word and expands my understanding of Him. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I love how you said "God meets me in my mind." This is one reason He tells us to guard our thoughts, so we can hear Him. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
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