*Post updated September 2022
Learn five methods to practice Christian meditation and deepen your relationship with God.
“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”
–Psalm 1:1-2
For the Christian, meditation isn’t a personal journey to self-actualization. It isn’t a quiet quest to discover your most true self. It isn’t even primarily a tool to cultivate rest or reduce stress.
Instead, meditation for the Christian is for the purpose of reflecting, remembering, and receiving the Word of God. As Tim Mackie from the BibleProject shares in the video, “Ancient Jewish Meditation Literature,”
“In Hebrew, the word meditate (hagah) means literally to mutter or speak quietly. The idea is that every day for the rest of your life you slowly, quietly read the Bible out loud to yourself and then go talk about it with your friends, pondering the puzzles, making connections, and discovering what it all means.”
The story of the Bible — from Genesis to Revelation — is so dense and multi-layered that it requires a lifetime of study and a lifetime of meditation. It is in Scripture-driven meditation that we can actually begin to process the knowledge we accumulate through study and find our rest in Him. As Alisa Keeton says, “We are not hungry for lack of knowledge, but for lack of intimacy.”
Thus, biblical meditation is one of the tools we can use to develop greater intimacy with the Scriptures and ultimately the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as we process the His Word.
WHAT DOES BIBLICAL MEDITATION LOOK LIKE?
Biblical meditation can look as unique as you are. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. But if you need some help to get started, here are a few ways you can approach biblical meditation today:
1. Be Still & Be Loved Podcasts
Revelation Wellness Be Still and Be Loved podcasts are a great way to start your biblical meditation practice. Each episode is centered around a specific verse or biblical theme. The podcast host will lead you through a short time of deep breathing before they read a Scripture verse aloud. You are invited to listen to the verse and consider related questions or ideas. In each episode, you’re given ample time to process the Word and pray.
2. Reading and pondering your Bible daily
We hope you are reading your Bible every day! If you are, you have everything you need for biblical meditation! Here is how you can start meditating on your daily reading:
1. NOTICE- What sticks out to you? What is odd, funny, comforting, or confusing? Take time to write these things down and pray about them. You don’t have to come to any conclusions yet, just notice what captures your attention and rejoice when you think about those things throughout the day.
2. CONNECT- Does this passage or story remind you of another passage or story in the Bible? Have you seen that phrase before? Why does God keep repeating Himself here? Noticing connections throughout the Bible can take a long time. But this is what meditation is all about — thinking and processing the Word of God over and over again. As Psalm 1 promises, you’ll be blessed for it!
3. Lectio Divina
If you need a biblical meditation technique that is a little more structured, Lectio Divina may be for you. There are only a few steps to Lectio Divina, but you can easily draw the practice out from five minutes to 45 minutes. Here are the steps to begin:
1. Choose one passage of Scripture. You probably want to keep it to 2-6 verses, but you can choose something longer. You will read this same passage three times.
2. FIRST READING: What do you notice? What word or phrase sticks out to you?
3. SECOND READING: What does this passage tell me about God? Why does this word or phrase stick out to me?
4. THIRD READING: What do I need to relinquish? What do I need to repent? What encouragement is this? Lift these things as prayers to the Father.
4. Reading and discussing the Scriptures with others
Finally, consider biblical meditation with others! This could be done in the Lectio Divina style, or your group can simply choose a Scripture passage or story to meditate on together. This is not a time to show off your knowledge of the passage, but to dig in deep and consider it from another’s perspective.
Read the passage aloud and take turns asking questions of the text or making observations. Consider the ways this passage challenges or encourages the members of your group. Ask each other questions and consider the implications of the passage on your group, your neighborhood, your city, and the world.
5. Join our 21-Day Biblical Meditation Challenge: Exercise Your Mental Muscle
Biblical meditation impacts our spiritual, mental, and physical health. We’re all about living healthy & whole lives through Christ, so this is an area we cannot neglect!
Life is so full and so fast-paced, and we’re driven to DO all of the time. We need to train ourselves to slow down and just BE in God’s presence without doing anything!
You might find yourself doing all of the church/spiritual activities, but you’re not slowing down enough to actually experience God’s presence.
Meditation helps rewire our brains and regulate our nervous system, which ultimately helps us be more compassionate with others and ourselves. This challenge will help you slow down and be aware of God’s presence and you’ll experience lasting change in your body, mind, and spirit.
No matter how you do it, the time you take to meditate on the Scriptures will not leave you dry!
Every moment that you ponder and metabolize God’s Word is a moment spent in the presence of the Lord. His Word will strengthen you and bless you as a tree beside a flowing river.
Gabrielle Wenos (Platoon 21) lives in Sheridan, Wyoming with her husband, Parker, and brand new baby, Byron. She serves as a Content Manager for Revelation Wellness. You can read more of her writing on her website.
2 Responses
So much goodness, Gabrielle! (Yay, Platoon 21!!)
I love Tim Mackey and the Bible Project, but hadn’t seen this video. Thanks for bringing it to my/our attention. I’m familiar with each of the biblical meditation methods you shared, but perhaps the one I practice least is #4. My best friend is going to do the challenge and I’m eager to experience this with her
Blessings on you and your future writing. I’ve been especially touched by this blog
Thank you for sharing, Sandra! We’re so glad you’re doing the meditation challenge with a friend! I’m sure you’ll both learn a lot by discussing the scriptures together!