6 Steps to Practice Christian Meditation Through God’s Words

Christian meditation offers a deeper connection to the word of God, as well as about finding balance, inner peace, and calm in a world where it seems almost every aspect of our lives is capable of triggering stress, worry, or anxiety. The beauty of Christian meditation is that it’s simple yet powerful. It’s simple enough that anyone can learn how to do it effectively with the right tools, teachings, and techniques. If you want to explore a deeper connection to God and the words in the Bible, establishing a practice of meditation begins by setting a routine you can follow. Here are some simple ways to get started:

Step #1 – Seize the day.

Different people have different times that they feel most comfortable or at peace for meditation. The first step in meditation is to find that time in your day where it’s entirely your own – free from distractions, calls, and work. A time that’s only for you helps you stay focused on the intentions you have and the reasons for meditation. You also want to think about how often you’d like to meditate. Experimenting is the best way to go, so what you can do is to meditate every day and at different times throughout the week. Journal down your thoughts, emotions, and feelings. By the end of the week, you can narrow down which days and times work best for you. Some find mornings work best, some at night, some after work, and some at noon. 

Step #2 – Know your intention.

Setting your intention before you begin your meditation helps create focus. Open up the Bible and read a verse that’s in line with your intention. Or, maybe you wanted to explore a Bible word a little deeper, such as the word Selah. Some examples of intentions could be hoping to read the Bible more often or participating in more community work for your church. It could even be an intention to gain better mental clarity, or the hope to learn how to balance some intense emotions that are going on in your mind right now, or you just want to take this time for yourself to quiet your mind after a long and stressful day (if you’re meditating at the end of the day). Your intentions need to be set before your meditation session. Meditation is about being mindful, so bring to mind what your intention may be before each session. 

Step #3 – Posture matters.

Posture matters in meditation because the whole idea of meditation is to be focused on your intentions, give clarity to your mind, and be still in your presence. You need to breathe deeply and bring your attention inwards. Posture here isn’t about sitting like a yogi, on the floor and cross-legged. If you’re comfortable that way, go for it, but if not, there’s no point trying to force that pose. Sit in a position that you feel most comfortable and one that promotes better breathing. You could even lie down on your bed if you feel it’s most comfortable for your body to be in for a specific amount of time. Of course, sitting up straight is the most favored and most encouraging position you can get yourself into for your meditation. 

Step #4 – Get into a relaxed state.

Another reason why getting into a comfortable position is that it directly connects to the relaxation level you feel. Allowing your body to go into deep breathing will help your body relax and help you focus more on your meditation. As you breathe in deeply, mindfully relax each muscle on your body, paying more attention to the body where you feel more aches, such as the back or neck. Relaxation helps you quiet the mind, so that your body doesn’t tense up throughout your entire session. Whenever you may find yourself tensing up, you need to remind yourself to relax, relax, and relax. Don’t fret if you haven’t achieved the sense of relaxation you desired in your first few meditation sessions. Like everything else, it takes practice. Christian mediation isn’t just about getting into scripture reading. It’s also about listening to your body and respecting all your God-given attributes. 

Step #5 – Be in the right environment.

This environment is one that works for you. Essentially, you want it to be quiet, free of noise, clutter, bright lights, devices, and anything else which could prove to be a distraction. If you’re the type of person who can’t relax in absolute silence, have white noise or nature sounds playing from your Spotify. This space or environment can be a small corner, a nook, your dining table, or even your room. Some find meditating in a hot bath is helpful as well. Try different environment settings and see which works for you. 

Step #6 – Use guided meditations.

Everyone can get started meditating. You don’t need to be an expert to do it. Guided meditations are the best tools out there for beginners since you won’t be doing this alone. There will be aids and cues to follow along to, leading you through the entire process from start to finish, telling you what to do every step of the way. Here are some excellent Christian guided meditations you can follow:

• Guided meditation for restlessness
• Guided meditations for dealing with difficult people
• Guided meditation for deep sleep
• Guided meditation for anxiety

Final Thoughts

It’s not always easy to reflect on our thoughts as meaningfully as we could like, but with meditation, whether guided or unguided, you can finally take the steps you need to get the most out of your sessions. Christian meditation helps us in many different aspects of our lives – spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Maintaining the focus and concentration you need at the beginning can be a real struggle. However, as you go along and make meditation part of your Christian spiritual journey, this would become second nature to you.