Biblical Meditation: The remedy you need for stress and overwork
How much would you be willing to pay for medication that could cure busyness, stress, and overwork? This article may show you the way to the remedy you need – if you have time to read it.
‘Hurry is not of the devil; it is the devil,’ said Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. If that is true, it seems that the devil is more active today than ever before. We see it in our own lives: days packed with tasks at work and at home, the time crunch that keeps us from ever being up to date, no matter how much we rush, and church obligations that should be done in addition to everything else.
Society's message is clear. Productivity is valued and desired. Rest and reflection are considered of little worth.
What did Jesus do?
Jesus had a different approach. Precisely when things were busy, he withdrew to lonely places to reflect, seek God, or spend time with his closest friends. You and I also have a standing invitation from him: ‘Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.’ (Rev 3:20, NIV). Perhaps we are too busy to accept.
I have lived in a culture very similar to that of the Middle East for several years. A meal is not merely food, even if there is an abundance of good dishes. It also signifies time spent together, engaging in good conversations, and fellowship. All of this is what Jesus invites us to — fellowship with Him, silence with Him, reflection and contemplation alongside Him.
Biblical concept
Meditation is a biblical concept that has fallen out of favour due to many unbiblical practices. In today's busy world, many people turn to Eastern meditation techniques to find peace. The aim is often to detach from everything, empty oneself and one's thoughts, and simply be. Biblical meditation operates on a different level. It is not merely about releasing worries and anxieties. It also seeks to fill us with good things, God's law and salvation, and what Jesus offers. He said he came to give us life and abundance. Psalm 1 states that those who meditate on the law of the Lord are like ‘trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.’ Ps 1:3.
Does it seem appealing to spend more private time with Jesus? For a long time, I believed that free time occurred by accident, after completing all my tasks. The problem was that there are always tasks to attend to when you are a leader and a family man. Nevertheless, it took me many years to realise that I had to organise my free time amidst all my other activities. The same applies to our time with Jesus. It does not happen by itself. We must plan for it. When we do, it can offer us riches and perspective that we would not otherwise gain — not only about abstract, spiritual truths, but also about concrete matters we are involved in, and perhaps struggling with, at work or at home. ‘Meditation is the one thing that can sufficiently redirect our lives so that we can deal with human life successfully. Meditation sends us into our ordinary world with greater perspective and balance,’ writes Richard J. Foster in the book Celebration of Discipline (1978, p. 22).
Important reminders
When I slow down and meditate, I often remember people I need to contact. Sometimes, I become aware of unresolved issues I need to resolve. Not long ago, during a quiet moment, it became clear to me that in a previous conversation I had given people a false impression of something I had done, and I felt I needed to call to apologise. Such conversations are never easy to have, but the freedom afterwards is immense.
Plan for it
If you want to meditate and enjoy quiet time with Jesus, you need to plan for it. Ask for God's help if you find it difficult. I received a specific answer to prayer when I sought more time alone with the Lord. Suddenly, I started waking up at four in the morning. At first, I was annoyed that I couldn't sleep. But then I realised this was God's answer to my prayer. For many years, these morning moments with the Lord have been a great blessing to me.
When I wake up, however, I often find myself tempted to read the news instead of spending time in the Bible, in prayer, and in fellowship with Jesus. If you seek quiet time with Him, it's best to eliminate anything that could distract you. Put your phone away and find a peaceful place where you can be alone. If you have children, it might be helpful to agree with your spouse that you are taking some time out with the Lord.
How to do it
Here are some suggestions for your time of meditations, taken from the books Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (Timothy Keller, 2016) and Celebration of Discipline (Richard J. Foster, 1978).
1. Meditation on the texts and stories in the Bible
Read one of the passages in the Bible slowly so you can absorb everything. Reflect on each part individually. Then ask some key questions, also used in Discovery Bible Studies: What does this story tell me about God? What does this text tell me about people? What changes should I make in my life based on this text?
Reflect on your life based on the text you are reading. Are there good examples to follow or promises to rejoice in? Are there warnings to take seriously or exhortations to act on?
Focus on a small part of the text and let it speak to you. Try reading it in different ways, for example, by emphasising different words. You can also just focus on one of the words and reflect on what it means.
Read through a text and then write down the story or content in your own words.
Memorise the text. What we memorise becomes part of us and can help shape our lives in a special way.
2. Other forms of meditation
Recollection: Through silence, we can ask for God's help in uniting our scattered thoughts. We can entrust our worries, fears, and defeats to Him, and receive His love and peace.
Meditation on God's creation: Focus on something that God has created and let it speak to you about the One who is behind it.
Meditation on current events: We often need silence and reflection to grasp the deeper causes behind everything that happens. Foster (1978) encourages this kind of meditation to be done with the Bible in one hand and the news feed in the other.
Try out different approaches to see what works best for you. This should not be difficult. Remember that meditation differs from study. When we study a text, we use various tools to understand its context and meaning. In meditation, we allow the text to influence our lives and bring about change. ‘After engaging the mind to clearly see what we are being taught about God, Christ, salvation, eternity, and our own state, we must then seek to incline the heart until its hope and joy more fully rest in those things,’ writes Keller (2014, p. 157).
What we desire
While working on this article, I listened to interviews with many young people on the radio. They were asked whether there were any changes they wanted to make in their lives. Many of them replied that they wanted to put their phones away and focus more on their surroundings. This has been a challenge over time. In the book “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” (2019), the author, John Mark Homer, cites a 2015 Microsoft study. Even then, 77 per cent of young adults reported reaching for their phones when there was nothing else to focus on. We have become accustomed to filling every empty space in our lives with content. Music, podcasts, and scrolling through news and social media fill spaces that were once silent and reserved for reflection. If we want the opportunity to be in deeper contact with ourselves and with the one who created us, we must clear these spaces. This requires active effort.
Foster (1978) emphasises that we cannot learn to meditate from a book or an article like this. We learn by trying. He writes, “You must not be discouraged if in the beginning your meditations have little meaning to you. There is a progression in the spiritual life, and it is wise to have some experience with lesser peaks before trying to tackle the Mt. Everest of the soul. So be patient with yourself. Besides, you are learning a discipline for which you have received no training. Nor does our culture encourage you to develop these skills. You will be going against the tide, but take heart; your task is of immense worth.‘ (1978, p. 32)
Give it a try
So, let us give it a try. Set aside two fifteen-minute slots to reflect on these texts from the Bible and observe what they evoke in you:
’I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27, NLT)
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (Re 3:20, NLT)
Steinar Opheim