Biblical Meditation: What is it?

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Considered a form of Christian meditation, biblical meditation is a type of spiritual discipline that incorporates the use of the Bible into the process of reflection and meditation. While the exact approaches vary, the process normally involves a combination of reading selected verses and spending time withdrawn from other activities to reflect, meditate, and meditate on the meaning of those verses and the relevance of the passages to the reader. Christians of all levels, from fundamentalist to progressive or liberal, make use of this form of spiritual meditation.

A common approach to biblical meditation is to set aside a time and place that allows the individual to enter a period of quiet contemplation, without being distracted by other people or events. This time can be early in the morning before starting the day’s activities, or late in the day when there is little chance of being interrupted. The idea is to have a time frame that allows you to focus solely on the biblical passages selected for meditation time, with the expectation of receiving a certain amount of inspiration that will ultimately benefit the reader.

There are differences of opinion on exactly how to do the practice of Biblical Meditation. Some proponents argue that the most effective meditation occurs when the individual is able to clear the mind of all distractions, including distracting thoughts, and make room for God to provide counsel and instruction by illuminating scripture passages that are intended. for reading during the session. Others argue that instead of selecting scripture passages in advance, meditation should begin by withdrawing to a quiet place, opening a Bible to whatever page the individual is inclined to read, and then begin reading, trusting that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit it will provide illumination along the way.

While methods vary, most forms of Bible meditation typically include a reflection period in which the reader takes time to ponder passages they feel prompted to read. This period of reflection can last for a long period of time or only a short time, based on any present time constraints or any feeling on the part of the reader that the meditation is over for the present moment. It is not unusual for this type of meditation to open and close with prayer, with the opening prayer inviting God to be present and asking for help in making the time fruitful for enlightenment and counsel. Typically, the closing prayer will include gratitude for the time and any insights, advice, or comfort you gain from the session.

Just as there are different ways to approach a period of biblical meditation, the setting can vary too. Some prefer a secluded environment, such as a solitary room in the house, while others find it helpful to be in a park or forest. In some Christian faiths, a portion of the weekly worship service is set aside for silent meditation which may open with Bible readings and be followed by a period of silent meditation. With this practice, finding the environment that seems to resonate with the individual is often the best approach rather than attempting to make the process too rigid and limiting.

Christians of all stripes can practice Biblical meditation. This type of discipline is found with such diverse members of the Christian family as Roman Catholics, mainstream Protestants, evangelical Christians, and fundamentalist Christians. Nontraditional Christian denominations such as Latter-day Saints and Christian Scientists also engage in meditation based on reading passages of scripture. Even faiths that tend to see themselves as post-Christian in nature, such as Unitarian Universalists, may choose to ponder a passage from the Bible and seek to glean additional information and insight.

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