“My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.”
As I’ve shared in previous devotions, meditation has been a struggle throughout my life. Yet just because something doesn’t come naturally doesn’t mean it isn’t beneficial. Often, the most meaningful activities require the most demanding attention. Meditation requires practice, like any other skill you learn. Most of us cannot sit down at a piano for the first time and play Mozart, and neither can most of us sit down and become immediately comfortable with meditation.
Begin with deep breaths. Breathing is a gift from God. The word “ruach,” meaning “breath,” also means “spirit” in Biblical Hebrew. The relationship between breath and the Holy Spirit is foundational. Learning to appreciate and control your breathing is a sacred act worth nurturing with awe. Christian meditation faithfully unites our breath with the Holy Spirit’s ruach. We begin meditation with controlled, deep breathing to calm the body and soul.
After several deep breaths, the body and mind begin to relax. Then, we focus on the top of our head and move down through the body to the tips of our toes. We picture all life’s unnecessary crud being pushed down the body and out our toes. This act of meditative purification calms the distracted heart. This calming effect lessens the world’s noise and makes room for the divine breath to move through the body, mind, and soul.
Then we focus on our breathing. Instead of counting breaths, I mentally say, “Father, Son, Spirit,” with each meditative breath. This is my way of bringing my faith into meditation. Do not get discouraged. Trust God’s Spirit to strengthen your ability each time you meditate. Emotions will have less control, and your voice will begin to quiet in the Spirit’s presence. With time, you will cherish the physical benefits of calming your body and mind. More importantly, you will feel divine closeness as the Holy Spirit moves in and through you. Little else has such immediate impact on one’s physical and faith life.
