I’m sure that there are probably enough blog posts on Don Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life already, but I feel the need to add one more. I’m re-reading through Whitney’s book with a friend and was reminded this week of the necessity and value of meditating on God’s word. Meditation is something of a lost Christian art, but one that every Christian would benefit practicing.
Christian meditation is different from Eastern meditation. Eastern meditation focuses on clearing your mind. Christian meditation insists that we fill our mind with God’s word and allow it to shape us. Eastern meditation is built off the premise that the divine is present within us all and by clearing our mind we can tap into that divine presence. Christianity recognizes God outside of us and acknowledges the need for God to invade our conscience for our own good.
Whitney defines meditation this way,
“Deep thinking on the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture for the purposes of understanding, application, and prayer.”
Paul urged believers to “renew your minds.” The mind is renewed through infusion from God’s word. Whitney writes that this renewal is accomplished in a way similar to brewing a cup of tea. The water is transformed into tea as the tea bag is allowed to steep fully for a period of time. Likewise, minds are renewed by God’s word as His word is allowed to “steep” for extended periods of time.
Here are several suggestions Whitney offers for how to meditate on Scripture:
- Select and memorize a particular text.
- Rewrite it in your own words.
- Look for specific applications.
- Don’t rush–take your time.
- Pray through the text.
How are you meditating on God’s word?
