Should Christians Meditate?

Did you know that the word meditate is mentioned in more than 20 scriptures in the Bible?  Although many of us hear about meditation in the mainstream wellness arena, meditation is more than just relaxing.

The Bible is clear that we should meditate on God’s Word day and night so that we will obey it, according to Joshua 1:8. This scripture reveals the clear mind-body connection between thoughts and action.  The mind-body connection is divine and created by God.

Meditation is natural.  For most of us, it’s not a matter of how do we meditate, but what do we meditate on.

We are reminded in Psalms 19:14 that meditation flows from the heart and is visible to God.  Christian meditation, in particular, is a powerful practice that is led by a heart surrendered to God and directed by the mind.

Psychology Today defines meditation as the practice of turning your attention to a single point of reference.  It can involve focusing on the breath, on bodily sensations, or on a word or phrase.  In other words, meditation means turning your attention away from distracting thoughts and focusing on the present moment.

What or Who Has Your Focus?

Did you know that worry is a form of meditation? Hard to believe but it’s true!

When we worry we turn our attention towards fear.  Fear of the known and the unknown.  We ponder every angle of a situation until the fear and the situation both become larger than life.  And, as the saying goes, whatever you give your time and attention to increases in size – and worry is no different.

In the same way, we can choose to meditate on God’s word – allowing it to become large in our lives, invoking change in our hearts, and directing our actions.  This is the beauty of the mind-body connection. We can embrace meditation as our God-given gift that we can use to draw us closer to God – or closer to our problems.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Meditate On These Things

Rick Warren, in the Purpose Driven Life describes meditation as focused thinking.  Consider focusing on Philippians 4:8 throughout your day and meditating on the various elements of the scripture listed below:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

• God is True (John 3:33)
• Noble.
• Right.
• Pure.
• Lovely.
• Admirable
• Excellent
• Praiseworthy

Meditating on these God qualities plants seeds in our heart that will grow over time, manifesting a thought life that honors God and births spiritual and mental maturity.

Sherrell Moore-Tucker is a Wellness Professional, Writer, and Registered Yoga Instructor with the National Yoga Alliance and Holy Yoga Ministries.  Sherrell provides wellness services which tend to a person’s spiritual, mental, and physical well-being while providing accessible tools for managing stress. Join the movement and learn more about how to “Breathe in, Stress Out” at www.sherrellmooretucker.com.