5 Reasons You Should Meditate Daily as a Christian

When I was in my twenties, I won’t lie to you: I was an absolute mess. My life felt like a chaotic tornado and I just couldn’t see a way out of my trials. I remember the days when my anxiety and depression were so intense that the only way for me to fall asleep or to not black out during a panic attack was to recite scripture or listen to it read aloud. During this time, I memorized Psalm 23 and every time my mind was racing with fear and dread, I would say this entire Psalm out loud. Without fail, I would experience peace and feel better. Today, after 15+ years of intensely meditating on God’s word, I know how to weather the tornado seasons of my life. See, trials still come my way, but I am no longer tossed about when they do. I have an anchor for my soul that keeps me secure and safe, no matter how painful the storm I face: and there have been some storms lately that have really put this practice to the test. I want to share with you why I make a practice of meditating on God’s word every single day, and why I hope you will, too.

Meditating on God’s Word Makes Your Way Prosperous

Joshua 1:8

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Joshua gives us insight that when we meditate on God’s word and then obey what God says, our way will be prosperous and we will have good success. Does this mean the Bible will make you a super fit billionaire if you obey all the instructions? Nope! It does, however, mean that you will be able to regulate your emotions successfully, you will be able to cope with very painful circumstances or difficult people. It means that even if you are disappointed in the way your life is turning out, you will still have the courage and boldness to walk in the right direction and God will use every trial for your good (Romans 8:28). Meditating on God’s word means you will know how to weather the storms so that you can enjoy the blessing when they come -because they will.

Meditating on God’s Word Makes You Fruitful

Psalm 1:2-3

“but his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.”

The Bible makes it really clear that when we are delighting in the LORD, we are meditating on his word day and night. Meditating on God’s word has the benefit of enabling us to weather every storm that comes our way and not only will we be able to safely navigate the storm, but we will also continue to be fruitful. When we are fruitful, we are producing good or helpful results in our life. So not only does meditating on God’s word protect you when you are facing seasons of lack, but it makes you produce good to those around you and allows you to be a blessing despite your circumstances. I don’t know about you, but I want to be a blessing to my friends and family members. I don’t want my season of trials to incapacitate me from loving others well and blessing their lives.

Meditating on God’s Word Makes You Joyful

Psalm 63:5-8

“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

when I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.”

When we make a practice of meditating on God’s word, our souls are well nourished. So many Christians are plagued with doubt, fear, anxiety, worry, depression, shame, and condemnation because their souls are starving for God’s word being applied to their lives. When you meditate on God’s word, not only do you feed your soul and stop experiencing these painful byproducts of soul-starvation, but you also come to a place of abundance where your soul literally sings for joy from a place of safety with God. I don’t know about you, but I never want to go back to a place of depression and fear ever again. I really like being able to sing for joy even when my life is filled with hardships. Everyone faces trials, but those who face them with Jesus have hope and joy, even in the midst of them.

Meditating on God’s Word Enables You to Trust God

Psalm 77:8-12

“Has his steadfast love forever ceased?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

Then I said, “I will appeal to this,

to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;

yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

I will ponder all your work,

and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

When we are feeling orphaned by God, when we are walking through a series of trials after more trials, it’s easy to question if God has stopped loving us, and if he will ever be gracious again. When we meditate on who God is and what he has done, both in scriptures and the fulfillment of his promises in our own pasts, we find clarity that God has not forsaken us or turned his back on us. Mediation allows us to have complete trust in God and stand firm in the truth. Last year, when I lost my baby, meditating on God’s word allowed me to return to a place of trust with God. Knowing his character and how holy and good he is, enabled me to be comforted by God when my world felt as though it was falling apart. Meditating on his goodness and promises gave me hope and peace when I was a wreck.

Meditating on God’s Word Navigates You Out of the Storm

Psalm 143:3-8

“For the enemy has pursued my soul;

he has crushed my life to the ground;

he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.

Therefore my spirit faints within me;

my heart within me is appalled.

I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all that you have done;

I ponder the work of your hands.

I stretch out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

Answer me quickly, O LORD!

My spirit fails!

Hide not your face from me,

lest I be like those who go down to the pit.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.”

Even in the midst of a long trial, when we feel crushed to the ground and like we are about to die, when we meditate on God’s word, it fills us with endurance. Knowing God’s word not only helps us wait patiently for our deliverance through storms, but it also enables us to know which direction we should go. When you are out at sea in the middle of a storm, it’s very difficult to know which direction is the right way to navigate. You need an instrument or navigation tool to tell you which way to go and you need to be able to trust that your navigation tool is accurate and will get you to the right destination and out of the storm. This is what the word of God is. It is our reliable navigation tool that will lead us out of the storm and on the right path, even when we can’t see it. I have weathered so many major storms in my life with confidence and security, because I knew I could trust the Word of God to navigate me to a place of safety. When you meditate on God’s word daily, you too can find safety out of the trial you are facing.

Here are a few quick tips to building the daily habit of meditating on God’s word.

1. Start small

Try to memorize a single verse or commit to reading for only 5-10 minutes a day.

2. Pick a time that is easiest to be consistent in

I read my Bible first thing in the morning. It’s before my kids are awake most days and helps me fuel up on goodness for the rest of the day.

3. Don’t try to double up if you miss a day

Just pick up where you would have been in your reading, or just do your usual 5-10 minutes that day. I personally read the Bible through my favorite app Daily Audio Bible, but when my youngest was a baby there were days that I just had to skip because trying to catch up on all that I had missed felt like a monumental burden and made me less likely to keep reading along.

4. Listen to the Bible while you are taking a shower, doing the dishes, or on a walk

Meditating on scripture is not the same as studying scripture. It is perfectly acceptable to just listen to it. I have a few tools here and here that will enable you to meditate on God’s word.

May God bless you as you seek to meditate on his word. May he protect you against the enemy’s snares and may he fill you with his abundant spirit that will bear good fruit in you and through you.

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