All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Meditation
I get seriously wound up and various medical conditions have been caused/exacerbated by stress. I have been told to relax. I try to relax. Easier said than done. Even my 'quiet' time with God often tends to get overtaken by the fidgets. There is a chance of going to a meditation group - the leader isn't a Christian so it won't be a Christian setting. Would it be a bad idea to go when the intention is learning to relax?
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Question: "What is Christian meditation?"
Answer: Psalm 19:14 states, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” What, then, is Christian meditation, and how should Christians meditate? Unfortunately, the word “meditation” can carry the connotation of something mystical. For some, meditation is clearing the mind while sitting in an unusual position. For others, meditation is communing with the spirit world around us. Concepts such as these most definitely do not characterize Christian meditation.
Christian meditation has nothing to do with practices that have Eastern mysticism as their foundation. Such practices include lectio divina, transcendental meditation, and many forms of what is called contemplative prayer. These have at their core a dangerous premise that we need to “hear God’s voice,” not through His Word, but through personal revelation through meditation. Some churches are filled with people who think they are hearing a “word from the Lord,” often contradicting one another and therefore causing endless divisions within the body of Christ. Christians are not to abandon God’s Word, which is “God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If the Bible is sufficient to thoroughly equip us for every good work, how could we think we need to seek a mystical experience instead of or in addition to it?
Christian meditation is to be solely on the Word of God and what it reveals about Him. David found this to be so, and he describes the man who is “blessed” as one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). True Christian meditation is an active thought process whereby we give ourselves to the study of the Word, praying over it and asking God to give us understanding by the Spirit, who has promised to lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13). Then we put this truth into practice, committing ourselves to the Scriptures as the rule for life and practice as we go about our daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as we are taught by His Holy Spirit.
Recommended Resource: The Keys to Spiritual Growth by John MacArthur.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-meditation.html#ixzz2dvatMPRK
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Permalink Reply by Colby on
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King David extolled the virtues of meditation. Joshua was encouraged to do it.
Meditation seeks to clear the mind--to purge it of the parade of wandering, random thoughts, one after another, that keep our minds busy and distracted. The similarity between Christian and New Age, Eastern or Buddhist forms of meditation stops here. Christian meditation is centered on the Word of God and the peace, comfort and assurance it brings--not discovering our innermost being and finding oneness with the universe.
- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7, NASB).
- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Choco,
The problem is that it's difficult to find secular relaxation techniques that don't also involve a spiritual element or have spiritual influence. It's important to have a clear conscience about it before you start because the doubt and worry over whether or not it pleases God will only add to the stress you are already feeling.
I know that I want to steer clear of anything that has Hindu spirituality in it or any other non-Christian religious element or that teaches some form of oneness with the universe, and so forth.
We are to have singleness of heart -- sole devotion to Him -- and it is a process, I believe, and I have a long, long ways to go, and it involves saying yes to God's way and will more and more and saying yes less and less to our own way and will.
Jeremiah 32:39, I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. (ESV)
Perhaps something like this link could be of help to you, and there are also recordings of sounds of nature, like the wind or the ocean, that are very peaceful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLWXjlmqapY&feature=youtube_gdat...
Something that soothes me may sound ridiculous to some people, but I recently went to the App Store on my cell phone and searched "Bible" and got the Bibke App YouVersion and it has Hear the Word Audio Bible. I've been listening to the ESV but it has options for 38 other versions. Hearing the Word in my daily devotions, instead of just reading it, has been very peaceful and soothing. It's as though God is speaking directly to me, personally. I know it sounds odd but I'm a nut :)
Let me know if you want to download the YouVersion Bible App and I'll give you the steps. It's easy and free.
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Great response Amanda :)
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“Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
AAG (the Net) has a page on this topic: "Christian Meditation: Is it Christian to meditate?"
Christian Meditation: How do we do it?
- There are three times during the day we can actively turn our minds over to God's Word in Christian Meditation. Just before we fall asleep, we can have God's Word be the last thing that occupies our mind. Upon awaking, we can have God's Word be the first thing to fill our minds to start the day. Finally, we need a specific time each day to be in God's Word so it can speak to us throughout our day.
- What should we focus on in Christian meditation? "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8, NASB).
Read more here: http://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-meditation.htm
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Permalink Reply by Chetan Chawla on
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Meditation is a good medicine for stress. Always live a stress free life no matter whatever problems come behind.
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Permalink Reply by Mary O on
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Hi Choco, God bless!
Here's a thought. Do you like to draw? Drawing and Christian music relaxes me. You mentioned you get the fidgets. Drawing is a way to release that energy. Another thing to do is put on Godly music and do some light exercise. But drawing is my favorite. You could pack a breakfast or lunch and go to a lake and just draw. If it were spring, you'd see the water fowl and their babies. It's adorable. Another idea wake up early and watch the sunrise. Biblically, many important events occur at sunrise and sunset. You can breathe deeply, shut your eyes and listen to God and probably some birds. Or you can watch the critters. It matters who you enjoy the sunrise and sunset with. (sorry for the grammar)
Love,
Mary
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