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This post is all about how to meditate on God’s word.

When you choose to meditate on God (who He is and what He has done) through His word (which is living and active), you enable yourself to slow down and call the stress of life.

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed and pulled along by life’s demands? Do you hate feeling swept up in the current of busyness and long to sit on the shore in peace?

What if I told you that the answer to calming your stress lay in adding one more thing to your overflowing plate? I know it seems daunting, but just hear me out for a moment. Meditating on God’s word will help you put your life into perspective and give you peace. It will calm your stress while giving you a sense of purpose and freedom.

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Calming the Stress

It is a common problem for Americans right now to feel stressed and overwhelmed in life. We live in a society that sees being busy as a good thing. To the point where the busier you are, the more successful you must be. Or the happier you are.

When, in reality, that isn’t the case.

As Christians, we know that the Word of God brings life and peace. But if you were honest with yourself, how often do you actually open the Word of God? And even more so than just opening and skimming the Bible, how often do you devote your precious time to studying it and understanding it better?

How many days go by in any given week that you don’t open the word of God?

It can be so easy to say that you want to calm the stress in your life, but are you willing to replace your busy, stress-filled life with the Word of God?

Meditate on God’s word to relieve stress

Meditation has many benefits, with reduced stress at the top of the list. Many claim that meditation can help with depression and anxiety as well as other mental health disorders. Meditation is also touted to improve attention span, memory, and concentration.

These are just the benefits stated when it comes to secular meditation. But what would happen if we purposely set aside time to fill our minds with God’s Word instead of trying to empty our minds of everything?

Is meditation Biblical?

Although our current culture likes to tout meditation as a new way to combat stress, the idea of meditation goes back much further than the 21st century. In order to understand whether meditation is Biblical, let’s take a break for a story.

If you know your Bible well, you will remember that after God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He led them through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. During this time, they heard the words of God and established themselves as a free people. When they were on the outskirts of Canaan, getting ready to take the land, they allowed fear to rule in their hearts and essentially told God “no thanks.” As a result, they wandered the wilderness for 40 years. During this time, they continued to hear the words of God and began to trust Him with their whole hearts. As the time approached for them to take the Land of Canaan once again, this time they were ready to rely on God. It was while waiting to enter the land that God told them:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – Joshua 1:8

God commanded His people to meditate on His word day and night.

What the Bible has to say about meditation

The first instance in the Bible where meditation was mentioned, it was commanded by God. But that is not the only place it is mentioned. In fact, the Hebrew word translated as meditate, הָגָה (hāḡâ) occurs multiple times, and means “to moan, muse, and mutter: to meditate”.

Some of the other verses that mention this word include:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. {Psalm 1:1-2}

I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. {Psalm 143:5}

There are also a few other instances where the Bible mentions meditation, such as:

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. {Psalm 48:9-10}

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. {Philippians 4:8}

What is the Word of God

With all this talk about the need to meditate on the Word of God, I should probably clear up what the Word of God is.

First, the Word of God is the Bible. It is divinely inspired by God Himself, even though it was written by 40 different authors over a period of over 2000 years. The Word of God is infallible (2 Peter 1:19). It is useful for teaching and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And the Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12).

The Word of God is also Jesus. John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” When we focus our minds on Jesus and His qualities, we are also meditating on the Word of God.

What are the requirements to meditate on God’s Word?

Meditating on God’s word is a relatively simple task and doesn’t require too much more than a willing heart. Here are the three requirements to meditate on God’s Word.

1. Meditation needs to be a priority
2. Meditation needs to begin with a plan
3. Meditation needs to have a purpose

Although this can seem like a lot, it’s actually quite simple. Let’s break it down.

Make it a priority to meditate on God’s word

We are called to meditate on God’s word day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). Each of us are also instructed to talk about God’s word when we sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up. We are to write His law on our doorframes and on our gates (Deuteronomy 11:18-21). We are to fix our thoughts on Jesus (Hebrews 3:1) and be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

Related post: 31 Of the Best Verses to Help You Focus on God

Steps to Meditate on God’s word

The steps required to meditate on God’s word are quite simple, and they will vary depending on your preferences. The key thing to remember is that you must make this a priority with your heart and mind focused on God.

1. Shut out the World
2. Read the passage over and over
3. Listen to the passage
4. Write the passage down
5. Sing the passage
6. Pray the passage
7. Post the passage around you
8. Ask questions about the passage
9. Use different Bible study methods to understand the passage
10. Talk about the passage with others

Although this may seem like a lot, the more you meditate on God’s word, the more you will be able to get into a flow of what works best for you.

Here is a brief description of each step to help you meditate on God’s word.

Shut out the World

The first thing you will want to do to meditate on God’s word is to go to a quiet place where you can spend some time focusing. Don’t be afraid to get away from the distractions of the world. You may need to leave your phone behind or hide in a closet so that you can focus on God alone.

Read the Passage over and over

In order to meditate on God’s word, you want to read the small passage or verse over and over again, becoming familiar with its words and what it is saying. This will help you begin to memorize the verse so that you have it with you always.

Listen to the passage

Listening to the passage or verse is another great way to memorize it. It will also help your mind to think about and meditate on it when you hear it in a different voice.

Write the passage down

Once again, this step helps you focus on the verse. Writing it down forces you to pay attention to every word as it engrains the passage into your memory.

Sing the passage

If you feel like it, go ahead and make up a tune for the passage as a way to help you remember it and also draw attention to certain words.

Pray the passage

Prayer is so powerful, and there are multiple times throughout the Bible where you see different people praying back God’s word to Him. Go ahead and pray the passage, as well as pray about the passage. Open yourself up to let the Holy Spirit convict you about what the verse means.

Post the passage around you

The Israelites wrote down passages and tied them to their foreheads and placed them on their doors and gates. These were places where they would frequently see the passage and remember God’s word. Grab some sticky notes and place the passage you are meditating on around you so that you have it as a reminder throughout the day.

Ask questions about the passage

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the Bible. When you are meditating on God’s word, ask questions about the verse. Do you know the people, places, or things mentioned? Are there words you are unsure of? Do you just want to know why something was said? Ask as many questions about the verse as you can think of.

Use different Bible study methods to help you understand the passage

There are so many great Bible study methods that can help you understand the verse you are reading. Consider using the Word Bible study method or even verse mapping while you are meditating on God’s word.

Talk about the passage with others

In order to really apply the passage to your life, you should be talking about it with others. This is a great way to not only solidify what you are meditating on, but also to encourage other people with what you are learning.

What is the difference between meditation and Bible study?

Although there are quite a few similarities between a good Bible study and meditating on God’s word, one of the key differences is that a Bible study tends to be more academic. Bible study usually takes place over a certain period of time and you then walk away from it and move on to your daily tasks. Meditating on God’s word is meant to be constant. The goal of meditation is to always be focused on God’s word and His character.

How often should you meditate on God’s word?

The answer to this question will vary based on each person. Some will be called to consistent, daily meditation. While others may only meditate once or twice per week. The important thing to remember when deciding how often to meditate is that focusing on God’s word must be a priority in your life.

Reflect on how you can meditate on God’s word today

If you are ready to make God first in your life, take a moment today to slow down and connect with His word. Set aside the busyness and stress, and let God’s truth bring you purpose and peace today. Start with a verse that is already in your mind and follow the steps above. Are you ready to experience the calm that comes when you focus on His promises?

This post was all about how to meditate on God’s word.