20 Ideas to Jumpstart Your Meditation
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!—Psalm 34:8
[This post is part three of a series. Here’s Part 1 and Part 2.]
In my personal experience, once you taste of the Lord’s goodness, it ignites a desire for more.
In my last post, I shared about my personal practice of meditation in the hard moments of my life, as a way to seek the Lord in the midst of difficulty.
Ironically (or perhaps not?), I stumbled into the truth that those who are willing to submit themselves to the Lord discover:
Joy in the midst of hardship.
As I learn to meditate in the everyday moments of my life, it inflames an affection and love for God that surpasses understanding. It made me want more.
So in this post, we’re going to look at how we can learn to make time to practice meditation intentionally. This week, let’s explore how we can train and discipline ourselves to meditate, not just in challenging situations.
Finding Time to Meditate
Now before you protest that you don’t have time to add yet another discipline into your life, let’s take a look at three ways you can find some time. If you’re like me, my guess is you have time to meditate—it’s just hidden.
First, think of all the things we systematically meditate on other than God’s word: news, social media, email.
I am also guessing that doing your “meditations” on these things really don’t leave you better off than before.
Why not replace your focus with something better? Substitute the time you spend in these other areas with God’s Word instead.
Second, think of a task you often do on auto-pilot and fold your meditation time in then. Folding laundry, washing dishes, taking a walk or working out are all good candidates.
While your body is moving through the motions, it leaves your mind free. Why not use this time purposefully as well?
Third, tack on an extra five minutes to meditate after you do your daily devotions or study. Just taking a little time to switch from study mode to reflection mode has a couple benefits.
it makes it a lot easier to practice meditating on Scripture because I’m simply adding a little extra to something I am already doing.
it enriches my study time by helping me start connecting the dots and bringing what is in my head down into my heart.
Is there something you can put off and/or put on so that you can learn to practice intentional meditation?
Meditation Fodder
Though I’ve said it many times, the meditating that I have been advocating is not simply sanctified soul-searching. It is not focused inward. It is focused outward.
To train yourself in meditation, be on the lookout for truths to think on. Ask God to highlight a verse in the passage you’re studying. Evaluate an idea you heard in a sermon or podcast. Listen closely to the lyrics of a song. Reflect on the chapter of a book you’re reading.
If you use something other than Scripture, take some time to identify it’s biblical basis (if any). Use Philippians 4:8 as a way to compare the idea to God’s Word. Is it true, in line with what God calls us to do? Is it honorable, lovely, etc.? Meditating on how it compares to God’s Word counts too!
Like a muscle that is exercised, becoming aware of what we meditate on can help us to identify plenty of food for thought so we can practice this discipline.
Ten Ways to Focus
Our thoughts are often racing, aren’t they? Meditating helps you to start putting the brakes on. The faster you’re going, the longer it takes to slow down. So expect some resistance when you start!
But once you have slowed down, enjoy it! Think of it as you would a restful bath or spa treatment Meditation is a spa day for your soul. It can be enjoyable and refreshing, not just a duty!
Here are some suggestions on how you can do this:
Take a walk in God’s creation. Psalm 19 tells us all creation speaks of God’s nature. Make it your intent to look around you, prayerfully observing the life around you and thinking about how what you see speaks of the nature of God.
Ask general questions about the text or idea, like these from Kristen Wetherell: Why is this passage important? What do I need to know? What does it say about God? What does it say about me? How does this reading point to Jesus?
Give yourself a challenge. If you like games, this is a way to make it fun. Set a number of unique observations and insights you can glean from a passage, then keep increasing it.
Use sensory methods to keep focus. Print or write the verse or passage you want to focus on and then post it around your house or in your planner or by your family calendar. Turn it into your computer’s screensaver.
Memorize and meditate at the same time. Think about each word in turn and how it adds to your understanding.
Turn it into an artistic expression, like a tune or a piece of artwork or hand-lettering.
Use your journal to write, personalize, summarize a passage so it sinks in.
Reflect on the passage or idea in light of the gospel, His work of salvation. How is this significant in light of the gospel of grace? How has it worked out in your own life—this year, this week, this day, this hour?
Consider what this passage tells you about God’s will or His commandments. How might knowing this impact your choices and actions today?
Rewrite the passage in your own words and personalize to your own circumstances.
Six Ways to Fuel
Besides turning the truth over in your head and thinking deeply about it, we want it to fuel our love and passion for God in a personal way. We want it to get into the nooks and crannies of our lives so that it reshapes our thinking and reframes our situation.
As in my recent post on breathing, responding to God in prayer—exhaling—can be a wonderful way to connect yourself with Him through your meditation.
Here are some ideas:
Worship. Praise God for who He is. When we respond to God with delight, we are doing what He has made us to do.
Thank God. As you ponder this passage, how does it remind you of specific ways God has been good to you? Count your blessings.
Confess. In what ways have you lived in contradiction? Or in what ways have you failed to live up to God’s exhortation? Or have you simply ignored it? Be honest and specific.
Rehearse your identity. What does this passage tell you about who you are in Christ? What has He saved you from? Agree with Him and celebrate your new standing before God through Jesus.
Contemplate a practical application. Run through your relationships, work, specific hardships, an area of sin and struggle, free time, finances, time, habits, rest, stewardship, priorities, anything and everything!
Discern specific changes to make. This is taking a granular view of your life and pinpointing what needs to be done differently. Perhaps it is identifying the negative thought to put off and the truth to put on. It could be figuring out what to change in your routine, your choices, your actions. If you’re having a hard time, reverse engineer the changes, pushing backwards until you can identify the next step you can take.
Four Ways to Meditate in Community
One last thing you can do is to meditate with others.
The Christian faith is not one of isolation and individualism. Sometimes the accountability of meeting with others can help us get started in the practice.
But another good reason to meditate with others is because we can learn from one another. Because we are members of one another, sometimes what we need to hear from God can come from the lips of a fellow sister in Christ. Sometimes we need to be that voice for someone else.
Here are some ideas:
Talk about what you have learned with your spouse or share it with your kids. This can be a time you set aside to regularly do this, or it can simply be in the course of conversation.
Text or email what God has been teaching you. If someone is in need of a word of encouragement or prayer, use it to bless them.
Ask someone to pray this verse for you if you need it.
Intentionally meet with others to engage with God’s Word and pray together on a regular basis. Instead of preparing for a Bible study on your own and discussing it later, meet to read and meditate together. Just make sure it doesn’t just stay in the “head” zone—give time to let it trickle down into the heart.
Conclusion
As I researched and reflected on this particular discipline over the past few weeks, I am challenged to incorporate it into my own life—not just when I am in trouble, but as a proactive means of filling my mind with truth.
The truth is, we never know when we’ll need help. A stressful work deadline. An unwanted diagnosis. The kids going crazy at dinner hour. Or even just losing your keys.
During the course of the day, any number of unseen and unknown things can happen. What will I think—and do—then? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to look at life in those moments through a Christian framework?
But that doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when we do the hard work—especially in the good times—of laying down this bedrock of truth in our lives. When we struggle to delight in Scripture, perhaps taking the time to zoom in and go deep through meditation will reignite our love for God and His Word.
And as we do, we are formed and shaped in Christ, and our faith becomes a part of our real lives.
