Meditation has been medically-proven to reduce stress, create calmness and inner peace, and even eliminate or reduce the symptoms of many illnesses. Just for this reason alone, meditation should be a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Even though Christian meditation is a fairly old practice it’s a new concept for the modern day Christian. Many believers grew up believing that meditation was ungodly or dangerous. But if you were to do a thorough research, you would find that this just isn’t true. But the most compelling reason for Biblical meditation is the Bible itself.
The scriptures that tells us that great success comes from meditating on Christ (Joshua 1:8) or Psalms 46:10 that declares it is through stillness that we come to know God
Jesus also showed us by example how important it is to spend time with God. It was Jesus daily custom to find a solitary place and spend hours just abiding with God and spending time in his presence. Spending time with God in silence and solitude and planting his word into your heart, is not only going to make you physically healthier, it’s going to also enhance your relationship with God and create more peace, joy, and contentment in your life.
If you are feeling disconnected from God, confused about your life, longing to know your purpose, experiencing a lack of faith and unbelief, plagued with worry or fear, and lacking God’s joy in everyday events, through practicing Biblical meditation you can begin turning your life around today.
Through Christian guided meditation, we learn that life isn’t so much about what we are doing, achieving, or even becoming, life is what is happening now, in the midst of our crisis, joy, and pain.
It is embracing what is, instead of resisting it, and finding God’s love, joy, and peace right where we are. Christian meditation is a spiritual discipline that will help us move in this direction. If you are like most Christians, you’ve probably gotten the wrong idea about meditation.
You might have thought that meditation isn’t Christian or that is difficult to learn… this is why I have made it easy to learn how to incorporate Biblical meditation into your daily life.
Answer: You probably fall asleep during meditation because you are sleepy. Meditation can be so relaxing that if you are the least bit tired you may doze off. The first remedy is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. In order to stay alert during meditation try the following. Choose a straight back chair to sit in. While sitting in the chair, don’t allow your back to rest against the back of the chair. To do this just scoot up several inches. Now when you meditate, if you begin to fall asleep, your body will adjust to keep your balance. In addition, try to do your meditation or quiet time in the morning as opposed to the evening or close to bed time.
With meditation being prescribed by doctors to relieve stress and spiritual leaders touting meditation as a way of spiritual growth, more and more Christians are becoming interested in this practice but are concerned as to whether it goes against their Christian faith. However, Christian and eastern meditation is very different in both their objectives and methods.
Eastern meditation is actually more common throughout the world than Christian meditation. Eastern meditation isn’t just something Buddhists do, it requires no belief in any sort of god, it does not require that you follow any specific belief system. Eastern meditation is much more of a personal experience than it is a religious experience.
Eastern meditation is often used as a path to spiritual enlightenment, but doesn’t necessarily prescribe to any particular affiliation. Regardless of your religious or non-religious tradition, individuals can attain the same personal benefits from meditation while embracing their own paths of spirituality.
The method of meditation is where the two forms differ most. In Eastern meditation, one empties the mind. You empty your mind, you think nothing, essentially, and allow yourself to simply be, to just exist. Western culture is very goal oriented, and this is reflected in everything from meditation to religion to art. Look at Asian films, paintings, music and comic books, and there’s more focus on “being” rather than “doing”.
This can be helpful for anyone of Eastern or Western descent alike, as it allows you to take a moment to simply appreciate life for what it is, to appreciate simply being, the gift of having been born or just being a child of God. For a Christian, this can even help one become closer to God by just taking in the gifts God has laid out for us, not trying to figure it out or understand it, but just to appreciate it and experience it, to allow the experience to flow through you rather than to be analyzed and studied and contemplated.
Christian meditation is more goal-oriented. It has to do with, specifically, finding a closer understanding of God and a closer understanding of self. It’s much more structured in terms of method.
A major component of Christian meditation is to reflect on the love, peace, provision, and goodness as well as the Word of God. This is also not a component of Eastern meditation.
For a Christian, meditating on God can be rewarding and life changing. Meditation can be contemplative (meditating on scripture, attributes of God, or a sacred word), for relaxation (to let go of stress and anxiety), or the practice of just abiding, waiting, and soaking in God’s presence.
Although different in both nature and practice, they have something integral in common. For the Christian, meditation helps you to find a deeper appreciation of the waking life, of yourself and can draw you closer to the Lord. By learning to meditate on God and quiet your mind, you give the Lord greater opportunity to speak to and guide you by his still small voice. Christians don’t empty their mind in meditation, but give their attention to the love, peace, and wisdom of God. Complete understanding of God is inherently impossible, but these methods of meditation can bring you ever closer to Him and to a better understanding of oneself. Meditation allows us to worship God in Spirit and in truth.
Is your life out of balance? Do you need a Biblical makeover? Feeling disconnected from God? Learn how to Detox Your Life Now & Awaken Your Inner Spirit. Rhonda Jones is the author of 22 Christian meditation and affirmation Cds, visit The Christian Meditator to find meditations and affirmations CDs on weight loss, healing, healthy living, peace, joy, and more.
Question: As you know, I have used and shared your meditations for the past couple of years with great success. This week a lady raised a question I could not answer, so I am turning to your for help with it.
She asked if visualization is involved with your meditations? I said yes, and mentioned about seeing troubles floating down the river or leaving with balloons. When I got home I researched visualization and saw a lot of material that I know you are opposed to.
Please help me know the difference between the visualization you include in your Christian meditations and the visualization involved other forms of meditation. What scriptures can guide Christians in selecting safe forms visualization? Or is there such? Thanks in advance for your helping me with my search.
Answer: Sometimes I think we really get caught up on semantics. We begin to want to banned any word that has been associated with another religion or movement. We forget that words have various practices and can be harmful or helpful depending upon how they are used and who is using them. Visualize is just a more focused form of daydreaming. In fact, visualization is much more powerful than daydreaming in that it is a conscious act of directing our attention on what we want to achieve.
The scriptures tell us to live a life of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Everything that we see in the physical world was first manifested in the spiritual world. In fact, Jesus said whatever we bind on heaven is bound in earth and whatever we loose in heaven is loosed in earth. There is a direct correlation between what happens in the earth and the spiritual realm.
As Christians, God wants us to speak those things that are not as though the were. An extension of that would be to “see” those things that are not as though they already existed. Renewing our mind also involves renewing our vision. Without a vision the people perish. God told us to write the vision on the all and make it plan. Visualization can be a positive tool in helping us to stay focused on our dreams or alter negative or debiliating mental movies or patterns.
Yes, some of my meditations are interactive and do contain visualizations. We all absorb information in different ways. In school, we learn that we learn things easier if we are involved in the process as opposed to watching someone else show us or tell us what to do. Visualization is like a trial run of the mind and is a powerful tool for change.
Don’t get hung up on the word because it is often associated with new age philosophy. Every concept in the new age movement isn’t bad. Let’s stop throwing out the baby with the bath water and learn to distinguish between good and evil. There are some practices that we can adopt that can transform our life and relationship with God. Meditation is one of them. I say, let’s begin to look at things at face value instead of putting a good or bad label on everything we don’t understand.
Do you begin your day in a rush? You rush to wake up, get yourself dressed, eat your meal, and then you’re off to work? Then after work, you have errands to run, dinner to cook, and housework to complete. Even if you are a stay-at-home mom or you work from home, your day can still be filled with an abundance of non-stop or unproductive activity. One of the best ways to make the most out of your day as well as your life is to incorporate a daily Hour of Power. An Hour of Power is time you cut our just to nurture you. It is a time of self-development and mental, spiritual, or physical growth. Each day, it’s important that we check in with ourselves. If we don’t, life just becomes like the wheel of a treadmill. We just do what we did today because we did it yesterday. We’re not living with passion or according to our highest values. In fact, without taking time to find out what we want, we may not even realize what is really important to us. Some good questions to ask are, “Why am I doing the things I do?” “Are my actions based on faith or fear?” “Am I living or just existing?” “Am I getting the most out of my life?” If you never stop to check in with yourself and God, how do you really know?
Incorporating a daily Hour of Power in your life can help you answers these questions and more. For years my Hour of Power included a time for meditation, reading the Bible, reading my confession of faith, and journaling. I also used this time to work through uncomfortable emotions, schedule my day, and get focused on my vision. When distractions presented themselves throughout the day, the time I spend getting centered with God and my purpose, kept me from being pulled in opposing directions. In addition, because I had a clearer vision for my life through taking time to understand my values and desires, I could say no to activities that didn’t line up with my goals. My Hour of Power helps me to set the course of my life instead of being swept away with every idle thought or new idea.
Now that I hoped I’ve convinced you of the power of an Hour of Power, I want to share with you some specific ways you can use this time effectively.
Meditation
The Bible tells us to “be still and know that I am God.” It is through stillness and quiet that our relationship with God expands. Through meditation, whether on scriptures, a sacred word, or just soaking in God’s presence, we learn to quiet our minds, renew our thoughts, and create a greater space for the Lord in our lives. Spending time everyday in meditation also breaks the cycle of unconscious living because we’re able to detach from mindless patterns and make choices that benefit our life and others. You can find a variety of Christian meditation techniques on the internet or even purchase Christ-centered meditation Cds.
Prayer
Prayer takes the burdens of life off ourselves and puts them on God. Jesus said Come to me all who are burdened and of a heavy heart and I will give you rest. He also tells his children to Cast your cares upon me and I will give you rest. You can find numerous scriptures that encourage Christians not to worry but to bring all of our needs unto him and then to stand in faith believing that God will never leave us or forsake us. Hardship and prayer gives God the opportunity to move in our lives in miraculous and unexpected ways. Establishing prayer in your Hour of Prayer will allow you to start your day lighter, freer, and putting your faith in the Lord.
Journaling
Journaling is an invaluable tool for transforming. Journaling can help you work through destructive emotions, record your spiritual growth, write down inspirations you receive from the spirit, and heal your life. Journaling helps you to dig deep within and uncover areas of denial, fear, and hurt. We can’t change what we don’t see or acknowledge and journaling acts as an excavation tool to dig up the junk we need to heal and eliminate. Spending some time each day writing your thoughts or whatever comes to mind, can also lead to a well spring of inspiration and creativity that you never knew existed.
Affirmations
We become what we meditate on? We become what we believe? By changing our thoughts and the words we use each day, we can our own consciousness and our changed consciousness changes our outcomes. If your limiting beliefs are causing you from doing or being the person you really want to be, then it’s time to change your telling yourself. If you are shy, begin to affirm you are outgoing. If you are fearful, affirm your courage. Make a list of who or what you want to be, and then spend time during your Hour of Power repeating them at least 3 times each. If you do it long enough and then begin to take baby steps to act upon uncomfortable situations, you can change your life tremendously.
Inspiration Reading
Many people don’t read. Christians don’t read their Bibles or other inspirational books. You won’t think to go without physical food. In fact, many of us eat when were not even hungry, but all too often we’re starving our spirits because we neglect to feed our spirits. Incorporating time within your Hour of Power to read the Bible or an inspirational or self-development book will keep you growing and expanding mentally and spiritually. Many times I will read a self-improvement book while exercising on the treadmill at the gym or I’ll listen to motivational CD or the Bible on tape while doing housework. Everyday I want to feed my spirit so I can continue to move forward and become the best me I can be.
Gratitude
Many people often look at what is wrong with their life instead of all the things that are actually right with there life. When we focus on the negative its like giving permission to a heavy, dark, cloud to follow us around and rain on our life. We begin to see every circumstance through an unhappy or pessimistic filter or dismal eye glasses. It doesn’t matter how much good is happening, shade it with negativity or don’t see it altogether. I thank God every day that I can live in peace, have a warm bed to sleep in, wonderful children, use of my legs and other facilities, have my health, and the list goes on. Of course, there are things I would like to change or aren’t going the way I want at the moment, but I turn those things over to God in prayer knowing he will take care of them in his time. Make it a point to list 5-10 things you are grateful for each day. It can be as simple as a warm cup of cocoa.
Visualizations
The Bible gives us a lot of advice concerning visions. We are told that without a vision my people perish. God tells us to write our vision on the wall and to make it plain and to share it with anybody who will listen. Paul told us to speak those things that be not as though they already were. Visualizing is simply seeing the outcome that we want. It’s like daydreaming with a purpose. Scientific studies declare that our mind can differentiate fantasy from reality. Just think about biting into a lemon and watch how your mouth salivates. In the same light, your brain doesn’t know you’re visualizations about your prospering business or slim figure is just wishful thinking. Use some time during your Hour of Power to visualize your success in the present moment, before it has actually happened. By doing so, you invite the universe to help you manifest your desires and open the door to unexpected encounters and miracles to make it happen.
Exercise
I decided to include exercise in the Hour of Power because exercise gets us moving and movement creates momentum. In actually, you will probably need to schedule exercise before or after your Hour of Power, but you do want to include it. When you exercise you release endorphins, the feel good hormones. These endorphins will help you to ward of depression and procrastination. Exercise will also enhance the other aspects of the Hour of Power listed. Almost daily, I will walk while I tell God what I’m grateful for, declare what I’m thankful for (visualizations), and say my affirmations aloud.
Schedule Your Day
Just think of how much more you can accomplish if you actually schedule your day before it begins? Setting aside 5 to 10 minutes to decide what you want to complete for each day and in specific time slots will help you to accomplish more and make constructive use of your time. It also helps you to be more practical about what you can actually complete in a day’s time. In addition it creates accountability. At the end of the day, you can look at your schedule and feel empowered using your time wisely.
You may not have time for all of these or you may even want to start with a few and alternate them on a rotating basis. The important thing is that you just get started and allow your momentum to catapult you to living with more purpose, fulfillment, and joy.
Need help getting your life in balance? Check out my Biblically-based program Detox Your Life Life and Awaken Your Inner Spirit. The program will help you incorporate the following activities and other spiritual disciplines to transform your mind, body, spirit, relationships, and more.
Before I answer that question lets first define what it means to mediate. Dictionary.com synonyms for mediate or meditation include to ponder, to reflect, to ruminate, to contemplate, and to mull over.
If we’re honest, these are things that most people do everyday. The problems is however, that most people meditate, ponder reflect upon and mull over things that are not conducive to peace, joy, harmony, and God’s spirit.
Unfortunately, Christians are just as guilty as others for allowing negativity, worry, anger, fear, and doubt to rob them of their peace of mind and steal their joy.
God said, “I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me.”
In Joshua 1:8, we are told to meditate on God’s word day and night if we want to have success in life.
Therefore, shouldn’t every Christian be a meditating Christian? But I think that the question isn’t should Christians meditate because the answer is an obvious yes. Even the Bible admonishes us to mediate. I think that the question that remains in the mind of many Christians is “how” are we to meditate? And the answer to that question lies in what you want to achieve from your meditation experience.
2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to, “Cast down every thought and imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Well as you know that is easier said than done. Many of us are holding unto ungodly mindsets that keep us from experience God’s best in our lives.
If you are plagued with worry, fear, and negative thinking, you must learn how to gain control over your mind and thoughts and meditation is one of the best ways to do this. By meditating on a sacred word or a passage of scriptures, you can learn to quiet your thoughts and take authority over and root out destructive thinking. This type of meditation, often referred to as scripture, passage, or mantra meditation can help us learn to train our mind.
Psalms 37:7 tells us to “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Many Christians have a hard time being still. Busyness has become a cornerstone in American life. They don’t know how to relax or even to dwell in God’s presence without being distracted or their mind wandering all over the place. Again, meditating on the Lord for 30 minutes a day in silence and solitude can help Christians learn how to be still before the Lord. Being still and dwelling in God’s presence allow believers to be enveloped with God’s love and spirit, something many Christians have never experienced before. We can’t dwell in God’s presence and not be changed. Every person who had an encounter with Jesus didn’t leave the same.
The Psalmist said, I have hid God’s word in my heart that I might not sin against him. (Psalms 119:11)Through meditation on God’s word, we go beyond a cursory reading of the scriptures. Instead of grazing lightly over God’s word, through meditation, God’s word is able to deeply penetrate our hearts where it can actually take root and grow a harvest. There is a big difference between reading God’s and mulling over, pondering, reflecting upon, and contemplating it. One is superficial, the other is transformative. Meditating on God’s word makes it become real to us. We can meditate on God’s word by slowly and methodically reading the scriptures and then reflecting upon how they relate to our current life or situation. Or we can practice scripture or passage meditation, where we slowly and silently repeat a verse or passage of scripture as we sit in God’s presence for a period of 30 minutes. Both methods will change our lives.
I believe there is no greater and more important practice in the life of a Christian than being still before God. Until we separate ourselves unto the Lord and renew our minds, we will always struggle with the pulls and temptations of modern life. Meditation creates a greater space for God to fill our lives with more of him.
I love what the prophet said Isaiah 50:4, “He [God] awakens me morning by morning, awakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Our fellowship and intimacy with God will always be in direct proportion to the time we abide in Him and subdue our ego- which begins with conquering and renewing our mind.
A good friend passed this message from Joyce Meyers onto me titled, “Meditate on These Things.” In the message Joyce is explaining the importance of Christian meditation and how deeply rooted it is in the scripture. I sure you will enjoy it as much as I did. – Rhonda
“Meditate on These Things
by Joyce Meyer – posted April 08, 2011
My mouth shall praise You with joyful lips when I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches.
—Psalm 63:5b-6
Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
—Psalm 119:97
Transcendental Meditation. Yoga. New Age. We hear these terms all the time, and they cause many Christians to avoid any reference to meditation. They’re afraid of the occult or pagan worship. What they don’t realize is how often the Bible urges us to meditate.
We can explain biblical meditation in a number of ways, but the one I find most helpful is to think of it as expressed in the Bible. If we read the verses above (and there are many others), we see three significant things about meditation in the Word. First, the Scriptures refer to more than a quick reading or pausing for a few brief, reflecting thoughts. The Bible pre¬sents meditation as serious pondering. Whenever the Bible refers to meditation, it speaks to serious, committed followers. This isn’t a word for quick, pick-me-up Bible verses or Precious Promises. I’m not opposed to those, but this is a call to deeper, more serious concentration.
Second, the biblical contexts show meditation as ongoing and habitual. “It is my meditation all the day,” says the verse above. In Joshua 1:8, God told Joshua to meditate on the law day and night. We get the impression that the people who spoke of meditating did so seriously and threw their minds fully into the action. Psalm 1:2 says that the godly person meditates on God’s law day and night.
Third, meditation has a reward. It’s not just to meditate or go through a religious ritual. In most of the biblical passages where the term occurs, the writer goes on to point out the results. Again in Joshua 1:8: “. . . For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.”
Psalm 1 describes the godly person who meditates day and night on God’s law (or Word) and says, “. . . and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]” (v. 3).
Despite what I’ve pointed out, we don’t talk or teach much about meditation today. It’s hard work! It demands time. Meditation also demands undivided attention.
If you want to win the battle for the mind, meditation is a powerful weapon for you to use. You must focus on portions of God’s Word. You must read them, perhaps repeat them aloud, and keep them before you. Some people repeat a verse again and again until the meaning fills their mind and becomes part of their thinking. The idea is that you won’t put the Word of God in practice physically until you first practice it mentally. Meditation is a life principle because it ministers life to you, and your behavior ministers life to others through you.
I could go on and on about the subject of meditating on God’s Word, because it seems there is no end to what God can show me out of one verse of Scripture. The Word of God is a treasure chest of powerful, life-giving secrets that God wants to reveal to us. I believe these truths are manifested to those who meditate on, ponder, study, think about, practice mentally, and mutter the Word of God. The Lord reveals Himself to us when we diligently meditate on His Word. Throughout the day, as you go about your daily affairs, ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of certain scriptures on which you can meditate.
You’ll be amazed at how much power will be released into your life from this practice. The more you meditate on God’s Word, the more you will be able to draw readily upon its strength in times of trouble.
This is how we can stay filled with the Holy Spirit—stay with the Lord through meditation and through singing and praising. As we spend time in His presence and ponder His Word, we grow, we encourage others, and we win the battles against the enemy of our minds.
Holy Spirit of God, help me to spend time every day meditating on the treasures of Your Word. I thank You for showing me that as I fill my mind with pure and holy thoughts, I will become a stronger and better disciple. Amen.”
Christian meditation is not mystical, magical, or ungodly. Christians can meditate in a way that does not compromise their Christian faith and completely honors God. Learn more about Christian meditation at http://www.thechristianmeditator.com.
Recently, Deepak Chopra appeared as a guest on the Dr. Oz Show where he demonstrated a brief meditation practice that he says promotes weight loss. During the meditation he asked viewers to put their attention on their heart and think about anything they are grateful for. Chopra asked them to ask a series of questions like, “Who am I?,” “What’s my purpose,” and “What makes me happy?” Lastly, he instructed participants to become aware of any sensations in their body. He ended the meditation with having viewers bringing their attention back to their heart. Chopra explained that each of these activities stimulated different parts of the brain that promoted self-regulation of their behaviors which in turn would reduce emotional and binge eating and encourage weight loss.
Jesus said that if you the faith of a mustard seed that you can tell this mountain to be cast into the sea and it must obey you. Many believers are living with mountains in their life that God wants to tear down. Often we see mountains as external forces that keep us from meeting our goals; however, many of the mountains we face our internal. These are mountains of fear, self-doubt, un-forgiveness, unbelief, and more. A mountain can be anything that keeps you from accessing all that God has for you.
Although I have yet to read the book, “Eat, Pray, and Love” I did see the movie and really enjoyed it. Many friends and family members who have read the book also encouraged me to do so, stating that it goes into many more details and explanations that were difficult to depict on film. In any event, watching the movie generated some of my own ideas about how I, as a Christian, can incorporate some of these great disciplines in my own life. I left the theater thinking that even if I (or others) had the luxury of taking a year-long excursion to far off places, it really isn’t necessary to learn the life lessons so eloquently depicted on the author’s journey.
I believe that we can incorporate the principles of Eat, Pray, and Love in our everyday life and learn to live more purposely and authentically from this day forward. Whether you are a Christian, or of any other faith, these life lessons can benefit us all. So, how can we Eat, Pray, and Love within the circumstances that we find ourselves today? I’ll tell you now.
Many years ago I remember watching Charles Stanley weekly Intouch program and being so blessed. I have one of his cassettes titled, “Wait on God” that I have probably listened to over 100 times. Well recently a friend shared with me a 5-part series on Christian Meditation by Dr. Stanley and I just knew that it would be a blessing to you as well. In fact, he has two separate series that you can purchase, but the one below is actually available online to download or listen to for Free!
You can find these on oneplace.com. (Please note that the dates are in reverse)
5/15/2009What is meditation in a biblical sense? It is stillness before God with a focus on His Word. In part three of Dr. Stanley’s series, “Meditation – The Power of Silence,” learn why busyness is no match for a close relationship with your heavenly Father.
5/14/2009What is meditation in a biblical sense? It is stillness before God with a focus on His Word. In part three of Dr. Stanley’s series, “Meditation – The Power of Silence,” learn why busyness is no match for a close relationship with your heavenly Father.
Recently, more and more people are becoming interested in learning how to do centering prayer. This is a prayer technique that is based on the traditions and teachings of the Christian church. In this method of prayer, participants attempt to let go of all thoughts, emotions, memories, and sensations. The goal is to quiet the mind in order to better experience God’s presence within. When this state is achieved, one is said to be “resting in God”. Here are the basic steps of centering prayer.
Meditation has been medically-proven to reduce stress, create calmness and inner peace, and even eliminate or reduce the symptoms of many illnesses. Just for this reason alone, meditation should be a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Meditation can be so relaxing that if you are the least bit tired you may doze off. The first remedy is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. In order to stay alert during meditation try the following. Choose a straight back chair to sit in. While sitting in the chair, don’t allow your back to rest against the back of the chair. To do this just scoot up several inches. Now when you meditate, if you begin to fall asleep, your body will adjust to keep your balance. In addition, try to do your meditation or quiet time in the morning as opposed to the evening or close to bed time.
