What
is meditation?
“I will
meditate on all your activity and ponder over your dealings.”—Psalm 77:12.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Meditation takes many forms, a number
of which have roots in ancient Eastern religions. “The mind has to be empty to
see clearly,” said one writer on the subject. His words reflect the view that
emptying the mind while focusing on certain words or images promotes inner
peace, mental clarity, and spiritual enlightenment.
WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS
The Bible puts a high value on
meditation. (1 Timothy 4:15,
footnote) The kind of meditation that it encourages, however, does not entail
emptying the mind or repeating a certain word or phrase, sometimes called a
mantra. Rather, Biblical meditation involves purposeful thinking on wholesome
topics, such as God’s qualities, standards, and creations. “I meditate on all
your activity; I eagerly ponder over the work of your hands,” prayed a faithful
man of God. (Psalm 143:5) He also said:
“I remember you while upon my bed; I meditate on you during the watches of the
night.”—Psalm 63:6.
How can
meditation benefit you?
“The heart of
the righteous one meditates before answering.”—Proverbs 15:28.
WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS
Wholesome meditation gives us inner
depth, quiet reserve, and moral strength—all of which add insight and
understanding to our speech and behavior. (Proverbs 16:23) Such meditation,
therefore, also contributes to a happy and rewarding life. Concerning the
person who regularly meditates on God, Psalm 1:3 states: “He will
be like a tree planted by streams of water, a tree that produces fruit in its
season, the foliage of which does not wither. And everything he does will
succeed.”
Meditation also helps us to improve our
comprehension and memory. To illustrate, when we study an aspect of creation or
a certain Bible topic, we learn many interesting facts. But when we meditate on
those facts, we see how they relate to one another and to what we have learned
in the past. Thus, just as a carpenter turns raw materials into an attractive
building, meditation enables us to “assemble” facts into a coherent pattern or
structure.
Should
meditation be properly directed?
“The heart is
more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?”—Jeremiah 17:9.
WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS
“From inside, out of the heart of men,
come injurious reasonings, sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of
adultery, greed, acts of wickedness, deceit, brazen conduct, an envious eye,
. . . and unreasonableness.” (Mark 7:21, 22) Yes,
like a fire, meditation must be controlled! Otherwise, improper thoughts could
nurture hurtful desires that might race out of control and lead to evil deeds.—James 1:14, 15.
Accordingly, the Bible encourages us to
meditate on ‘things that are true, righteous, pure, lovable, well-spoken-of,
virtuous, and praiseworthy.’ (Philippians 4:8, 9;
footnote) When we take in such fine thoughts and “sow” them in our mind, we
will reap in the form of beautiful qualities, gracious speech, and warm
relationships with others.—Colossians 4:6.
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