Meditation

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

So, here’s the thing–my brain only has one circuit. This means I can only think about one thing at any given time. It is actually very helpful when I am focused on writing, reading, studying or some other profitable venture. It also means, however, that if I start thinking about kayaking or guns or hunting or cars or vacation…I might be “gone” for a while!

Meditation simply means thinking or focusing on something for a period of time. We are instructed in Scripture to meditate on the principles of God (Joshua 1:8), things that are pure and loving (Philippians 4:8), God’s promises (Psalm 119:148), what God has done (Psalm 143:5) and the counsel of godly elders (II Timothy 2:7). This is because the thoughts that dominate your heart and mind will greatly influence your outlook on life. That is why Solomon said, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). As a result, the level of fear you experience while enduring difficulty is not only influenced by the magnitude of your suffering, but also by what you are thinking about. The more you focus on the thing you are suffering, the more complicated and impossible it becomes. “Because your field of vision and the center of your thoughts are now dominated by your difficulty, God’s awesome glory, the hugeness of His power, and the comfort of His presence don’t.” (Paul David Tripp, Suffering).

Friend, a battle is raging for control of your heart, and it begins in your mind. On what are you meditating today?

-Pastor Mike