Meditation for Christ Followers

"Then he opened their minds to the scriptures…" Luke 24:45 ESV

I’ve been thinking more and more about Christian meditation, the why’s and how to’s. I’m wanting to go deeper into transforming my soul to be like Jesus. Richard Foster has always had some helpful material on the spiritual disciplines (Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster) along with Dallas Willard (Spirit of the Disciplines and Renovation of the Heart). And I wanted new stuff. So, I did a little research and found some helpful material. I hope you find it useful as well.

Below are some suggestions from “Christian Meditation from a Biblical Viewpoint”, Mary Fairchild, learnreligions.com, 9/9/20):

• Relaxing or stilling the body

• Focusing the mind

• Thinking carefully about:

            – scripture,

            – character and nature of God,

            – creation in light of God,

            – spiritual purposes

• Emphasis on a deeper relationship with God

• Deeper commitment to Jesus, His will and His ways

• Inner transformation

• Enhanced biblical perspective and clarity

I think you have to be careful what you put in your mind to meditate on. For me, meditation helps to calm me, focus my attention on God, and discipline my spirit. All three of these have a greater impact throughout my day. It usually takes fifteen to thirty minutes a day for me to calm myself, focus, and teach my spirit not to wander. I find that the simpler the concept to focus on is helpful. It allows me to learn to control my thoughts and pay attention to my spirit. A short verse or a phrase that sinks in when I read the scriptures is conducive to letting the Holy Spirit breathe life into my soul.

Give it a try. Start small. A candle and five minutes. Set a timer so you’re not always looking at your watch. Same place each day, same time. These are things you can control in a world you can’t control. Discipline allows you to relax, focus, and let Jesus form your spirit with His Spirit.