Some Christians are afraid of meditation because it is confused with Eastern religious practices of “emptying the mind.” Christian meditation is focusing all our thoughts toward a topic or idea. But this is more than just “focus” as it is in fact opening our mind to a single thought or idea until it actually fills us and becomes a part of us. It is a process of letting God and his Word sink deep within us.
Here’s a personal example. I once spent several weeks just meditating (focusing on) the words of Jesus - “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” You would think that a day or two would be sufficient, but after a week I began to discover new truths and deep concepts “hidden” in those simple words. It was life changing. I was drawn closer to God through the process. I began to see things that I relied on and that were “substitute” bread replacing my need for God.
Kinds of Meditation:
- Meditation on a passage of scripture (the most common form)
- Meditation on a word or phrase of scripture
- Meditation on a quality of God
- Meditation on an aspect of creation
- Meditation on an event, an experience of personal awareness, etc.
See chapter 2 of Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline for more help on how to meditate.
