As Christ followers, it’s easy for us to read a Bible verse or passage during our quiet time in the morning but then forget it all by lunchtime. At least, that’s something that I struggle with sometimes! And even if we use different methods to study our Bibles each morning, we may even feel like God’s Word isn’t really taking root in our hearts.
So how can we really “chew” on God’s Word and help it stick? Through something called Scripture meditation!
What exactly is Scripture Meditation?
“To meditate on God’s Word means to focus intently on it and allow it to sink deep into your heart, mind, and soul. Bible verses like Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, and Psalm 119:15 among others, point to the importance of meditating on God’s Word” (quote from my devotional She Laughs: A 40-Day Journey to a Heart Filled with Joy and Peace).
Because Scripture meditation is so important, I wanted today’s post to be super practical. Below I’ve listed out 12 ways that you can meditate on Scripture. But don’t worry—there’s no need to try them all at once tomorrow as you’re having your quiet time with the Lord!
Just pick two or three of the below meditation styles and incorporate them into your quiet time this week. You could even try three styles each week for a month, and at the end of the month, take note of which ones you liked the best!
A Few Notes Before We Get Started
As I wrote my devotional, I consulted a wonderful book written by Donald S. Whitney called Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. In his book, Whitney gives several meditation styles, a few of which you will find below and in my devotional. Other meditation styles the Lord guided me to as I sought him on creative ways to meditate on his Word—I think some of them are really fun!
If you’re interested in learning more ways to meditate on Scripture, I encourage you to check out Donald S. Whitney’s book or my devotional.
Okay, let’s dive into the meditation styles now!
1. Using a Bible app on your phone, have the verse or passage read aloud to you a few times. If you’re unsure of which Bible app to use, YouVersion is a great (free) one to start with!
2. Circle or underline the key words in the verse.
3. Find synonyms for the key words in a verse.
4. Look up the verse in different translations.
5. Find an image online that you feel best represents the verse (Google Images is a great place to look). Be creative!
6. Write each word of the verse in a different color.
7. Look up the definitions of the key words in a verse.
8. Create a meditation map. You take the key part of a verse and write it in a circle. Then, add smaller circles around that center circle and in each circle write supporting words or phrases you find in that verse. For instance, to make a meditation map of Galatians 5:22-23 (the Fruit of the Spirit), you would write “Fruit of the Spirit” in the center circle and each fruit in a smaller circle around that center circle.
9. Illustrate the verse by drawing a visual representation of it. No fancy art skills are required!
10. Memorize the verse.
11. Rewrite the verse in your own words.
12. Read the verse several times, emphasizing a different word each time.
I hope you found these ways to meditate on God’s Word helpful! If you try one or two of them (or more) in the coming weeks, please leave me a comment below and let me know!
Pressing on in faith,
Jennifer