Joshua 1:8 “8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Throughout the Bible, God commands His followers — and His followers command others — to meditate on God’s Word. We’re told to do this so that we can more fully understand them; to properly receive the lessons intended for us, and be prosperous in our lives.
While many are familiar with the concept of Hindu meditation, Contemplative Meditation is less known. That’s why I’ve written this guide on how to meditate on God’s Word for beginners.
How Do You Prepare For Christian Meditation?
It’s easy to prepare for Christian meditation. Ideally, you want to find a quiet place, preferably empty. The outdoors can also be a wonderful place to meditate; resting in the woods, or in a quiet park, out in nature.
The most important thing is to have a specific passage — or even a specific word — you wish to meditate on. If you aren’t focused on a single topic, your meditation session will be aimless and unproductive.
Once you have your specific passage in mind, you can begin to meditate.
Here’s How to Meditate on God’s Word for Beginners
The only item you need to meditate on God’s word is a copy of the Bible, or at the least, the passage you wish to meditate on. A meditation cushion is also a nice — but by no means essential — item to have, to help you rest comfortably and get into a relaxed state.
1. Get into a comfortable position. A traditional meditative position is to sit upright, shoulders back but relaxed, with legs crossed or tucked under you. You can rest the Bible in your lap, or on the floor in front of you. It’s not essential to use this specific pose, though; the only requirement is that you are comfortable and not distracted by your physical self.
2. Read your selected passage several times. At least thrice, but realistically as many times as you need to in order to memorize the words. You can spend the entire meditation session reading and re-reading the phrase, internally and out loud if you need to.
3. Begin to recite the passage from memory. Repeat it over and over. Let yourself find an emphasis on different words, thoughts, and concepts within the passage. Say it internally, or whisper it, or speak it — even sing it.
Note the thoughts and feelings that arise. The point of meditation is not to dwell on any thoughts that rise into your mind, but rather to remain strictly focus on your topic at hand. Let thoughts arise from your subconscious, acknowledge them, but do not dwell on them. You may like to write down any particularly interesting thoughts for later consideration.
4. Pray. Pray over the passage you have been meditating on. Discuss your new understanding and appreciation of the lesson you have learned with God. Thank God for all He has given you, and the teachings bestowed upon you.
You can spend as long or as little as you want on your meditation sessions. Many prefer to meditate during the morning to ready themselves for the day ahead; others like to meditate before bed to cleanse themselves of the stresses of the day and ready themselves for sleep.
Whatever works best for you is when you should meditate.
Final thoughts
To meditate on God’s Word is to better understand His teachings, to attain greater relaxation in life, and to ultimately become closer to God. By following this guide on how to meditate on God’s Word for beginners, you’ll start a profound, spiritual journey towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of your faith.
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