Spiritual Formation: Christian Meditation
In the beginning of my meditation experience I had a lot of misinformation and much confusion as to what it was. I was in Junior High at the time. The adults at church were not helpful as I did not know anyone who did Christian meditation like the Psalms spoke about.
“And in His law he meditates day and night”
Psalm 1:2
I am glad that I thought to ask more about it as an adult. About 5 years ago I was so curious about meditation and what it was in the Bible and received my first ‘cud chewing’ definition but no real insight as to the ‘how’ of doing it. I really wanted to know.
The Holy Spirit was the one who taught me about meditating in Christ.
I just fell into it naturally from reading and praying and the next thing I knew I was simply focused on the Word and on Him. It was an amazing experience!
I still feel the same as I dwell upon His presence now. Recently, He has shown me that He desires so much more of me. More of my heart and mind. More of all that I am. I have discovered that I still have a long way to go for total surrender in Him.
My hope is that in His continued mercy, leading, and teaching, I will be able to become what I was created to be in the first place. I want to be ALL His, the “sum total” of who I am – just to be His.
I was in a Spiritual Formation class at Wesley Seminary and in the book, Celebration of Discipline, the author (Richard J. Foster) gave a definition of meditation that differentiates between Eastern Meditation and Christian Meditation. He states,
“Eastern meditation is an attempt to empty the mind; Christian Meditation is an attempt to fill the mind. The two ideas are quite different.”
He goes on to explain that in Eastern meditation there is an emphasis on “losing personhood and individuality and merging with the Cosmic Mind…There is not God to be attached to…Detachment is the final goal…”
In Christian meditation there is a detachment from distractions but all attention is toward attachment with the Lord; we seek to be full of Him and His presence. The goal is to connect with Him in relationship and love.
by Pastor Carri Johnson