Category: Spiritual Disciplines

Meditation Leads To Transformation

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Development, Emotional Health, Healthy, Life, Personal Growth, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual HealthLeave a comment

meditation

Christian Fathers from centuries ago would distinguish between meditation and contemplation. Meditation would be the work of taking an idea or thought into our minds and mulling over it as it sinks deeper into our souls. Contemplation would be the gift of God as the fruit of meditation.

In the first century, one of the earliest Church leaders, whose name was Paul, explained in one of his letters to a church that was developing in Rome, that people can experience transformation as a result of the work of meditation. He wrote: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think . . .” (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation)

While meditation begins in the mind, it does not stop there. Meditation uses the whole person; heart, mind and soul.

An author and pastor was working on 1 Corinthians 10:24; he was gripped with the implications of how we are to think less of ourselves and more of others. He wrote:

All the implications of 1 Corinthians 10:24 are not yet clear in my mind and heart. This text is not done with me. I need to give it more time. And that is my reason for writing.

When a text grabs our attention, we must allow it time to do its work. The Spirit’s use of the sword of God’s word (Hebrews 4:12) to pierce into our deep places and bring about sanctification and transformation doesn’t always fit neatly into a daily devotional time or a Bible reading plan. Sometimes we need to clear our devotional schedule and linger over a text and wrestle with it, and probe into it, and let it probe into us.

Unhurried meditation is what leads to the mind’s transformation (Romans 12:2), which leads to behavioral application, which leads to lifestyle transformation. Such meditation may only require ten minutes, or it may take ten months. However the Spirit leads, linger.

Give the Word time to do its work. (Jon Bloom, President: Desiring God Ministries.)

Are you looking for ways to grow and develop in your life? Have you carved out time to spend deeply thinking about God’s Word and His ways?

A key way to grow and develop our heart, mind and soul in a healthy and holistic way is to spend time with God in prayer and meditation over His Word.

Lent

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Lent, Spiritual DisciplinesLeave a comment

A friend of mine sent me an article that has proven helpful to him during the season of Lent. I was enriched by this so I want to share it here.

Sunday of Forgiveness – Great Lent: A Season of Spiritual Springtime

“Thus saith the Lord Almighty; there shall,be fasts in the House of Judah unto joy and gladness and unto feasts goodly, cheering, and joysome” (cf. Zacharias 8:19)

a. In the Paschal Vigil, the decisive criterion in our experiencing a personal Resurrection-Renewal will not be the maintenance of the Fast, but mutual love; the practice of sympathy and empathy; sensitivity before the misfortune of our brother; the rebuilding of our person relationships with Christ.

b. The Great Fast is not a Great Desert, in which we wander, beleaguered for forty days. But it is a stroll through the Garden of the Kingdom, unique in beauty and comeliness.

c. Nature’s Spring coincides with the Springtime of Lent: “The Springtime of the Fast hath dawned, as hath the Blossom of Repentance.

d. In the Lenten Springtime:

  • our hearts are warmed and enlightened through prayer-fasting-almsgiving;
  •  we return to our fervent and radiant relationship with God and our fellow man;
  •  we rise above self-centeredness, that is, we remove ourselves from the center of our attention;
  •  we open the realm of our hearts, such that they overflow with God and our brother.

+ Bishop Cyprian of Oreoi