48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, While reading the Bible, I've come across the word "meditate" many times, but never truly understood what it meant. I knew it didn't mean sit "indian style" (or "crisscross apple sauce" for the younger generations) and touch your middle fingers and thumbs together... and I did know that it meant to continue to "think about" something, to ponder... but I still didn't get it... Until one day I was re-hashing a painful experience in my mind... going over and over in my head what I could have done differently, what had been done to me, why had it been done to me, should I do something else, if so what else should I do, will this situation ever change, will this pain ever heal, will the situation ever be mended... and suddenly it hit me... I was meditating on my pain! It was as if a lightbulb went off in my brain! This is what it means to meditate! It has been such an amazing learning experience to realize when I'm meditating on negative thoughts, and choose to stop myself and choose instead to mediate on God's Words. What an amazing burden is lifted when I choose the later! I've heard it said, "Anything you DON'T feed, Dies..." By meditating on my pain, I'm "feeding" my pain - causing it to increase! Yikes! But by meditating on God's word, I'm "feeding" my spirit, I'm renewing my mind, and I'm increasing my PEACE! What have you been meditating on? What are some things you do to stop yourself from focusing on pain or negativity?Psalm 119:48 (New International Version)
and I meditate on your decrees.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Meditation
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3 comments:
My most recent meditation has been on sleep. Yep, I think about it a lot... especially since I never seem to get enough of it.
Then yesterday, in an adult Bible study class I was visiting at our new church, another mom of young kids shared that she used to be the same way. Always praying, "God give me sleep. If I could sleep through the night, everything would get better." Then she realized, sleep had become her idol.
At first, I dismissed that, because really, I do need more sleep. But then she went on to share that she began praying for renewal instead of sleep and things started getting better. That didn't mean she got more sleep, just that her attitude about her life's situation improved which made her a better, more productive, person.
So, starting last night, I am trying to think less about sleep and more about what it might mean for God to renew me as he saw fit.
One of the things I do to stop focusing on painful experiences or negative thoughts is to memorize Scripture and then say the Scriptures aloud when the need arises..."Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against You." (Ps. 119:11) I'm participating in a year-long memorization plan with Beth Moore's other Siestas, memorizing two Scriptures a month for this year. My first three Scriptures have already been helpful in winning the battle of the mind! Hope this helps. :-) Joy
Thanks for writing this, Heather! I needed to hear it this week! Wish we lived closer! :)
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