I was listening to a cd by Joyce Meyer about worry and anxiety. One of her suggestions was to pick a scripture and meditate (pray) on it.
It was funny because she already had an answer to our objection “But I don’t know how to meditate”.
She went on to explain tongue in cheek “Sure you do. You know all that worry and obsessing you do over whatever is troubling you….you know how you roll the hurt or frustration over and over again in your mind, blocking all else out…how you think of every which way you are angry or offended….that is meditating!”
Wow, that is so true. We have the ability to focus 110% on something that is bothering us but can barely meditate on a verse for 3-4 minutes.
I really liked this solution because it is right up my alley.
As a counselor, this is a therapeutic technique as well as a spiritual one. If we are worried about something we need to take our thoughts captive. The best way to do that is to put something else in them.
Meditating on a scripture is a lot more creative and impactful than putting up a stop sign in our mind, isn’t it?
It is says in Philippians 4:8-9,
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (italics/bold are mine)
God’s Word is what is true!
So find a favorite verse or look for a new one.
Use your obsessing skills and think about it in a million different ways:
- what is God’s message
- how can we apply it to our life
- how others, maybe even the object of our original obsession, could apply it to their life (in a positive way – don’t forget we have a plank in our own eye!)
- what does the passage say about God and who He is
- memorize the scripture
- try to hear what God is trying to tell you personally through these verses
I am sure you can think of more. See if this helps you to worry less and pray more!
