Meditation

So the past few days I have been reading about fasting, prayer, and meditation a lot and the Lord has put it on my heart to really understand these. I am reading this book called "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. The book is about the lost disciplines Christians have forgotten. It is actually very good; including study questions and scripture for the week to meditate and read. The most recent chapter was about meditation, it was so good I decided I wanted to share with you all that I am reading and learning about meditation. It's an important and valuable part of our walk with Christ and am planning on meditating more.

First off what is meditation? There are two different styles of meditation: Eastern meditation which is about emptying the mind while Christian meditation is about filling the mind.

There are several misconceptions about meditation but meditation can redirect our lives so that we can deal with what God has in store for us.

When I think of meditation I think of a spiritual high and connection with God. However it is more common to be given guidance, perspective, and balance through meditation. Those spiritual highs are great feeling but rare. We shouldn't seek out things just to get that feeling, but seek out what will help our walk and grow us. Intentions are important, are you meditating to get something from the Lord or are you doing it to quiet your mind and listen to what the Lord has to say?

Meditation is hard because we live in a society that is full of noise (check out this Nooma video, very powerful). It feels awkward to sit in silence. I know I don't like silence, whenever I'm on the web I am playing music for background noise. Society has us wired to be multitasking and always doing something so sitting still to focus on one thing is so difficult. Therefore it's a challenge to clear you mind and listen, or meditate.

While reading "Celebration of Discipline," Richard Foster discusses the point of meditation and our lack of desire to meditate. This is so true. Society is reliant on others to mediate. For example a leader in a bible study teaching or your pastor or any media such as a podcast giving you the message instead of you taking time to get the message from God yourself. We are content to hear the message second hand and not invest in our walk by personally listening and talking to Him ourselves.

How do I meditate? Are there types of meditation? 
One type is called "Meditatio scripturarum," the meditation upon scripture, which is a central reference point of meditation. This does not mean analyze, share, and prepare a technical study but repeat the passage and internalize and personalize it. Resist the temptation to flip through passages superficially, we need to work on our internal state. The task isnt necessarily to study a verse or passage but to be initiated into the reality of the passage. I am always eager to read a large passage thinking I'll get the most from it verses reading 1-2 sentences. However that can be information overload, while a sentence of two you can focus on just a few important points and reflect on it.

Another type of meditation is called "re-collection" or "centering down" which is to become still and silent. Become centered. This is the most difficult for me. Personally I have struggled with meditation because my brain goes a million miles an hour thinking of the things I need to do that day. So it's almost impossible to quiet my mind. HOWEVER, what helps me is listing all the things on my mind down on paper until my mind is empty and I can be still and listen to God. However the down side is that I need a large block of time set aside rather than meditating for 20 minutes I need like an hour!

Now I just want to share some scripture about meditation and quotes from Foster's book as inspriation. Enjoy and I hope you can find peace and time to meditate. It's refreshing and good for our souls and relationship with the Lord.

"pray without ceasing" -Thessalonians 5:17

"whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on theses things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." -Philippians 4:8-9

By meditating "we create the emotional and spiritual space which allows Christ to construct an inner sanctuary in the heart." -Foster

May your time in meditation be blessed :)

My Identity in Christ

So I recently had a big break through. So as you know, I went to UTC camp last May and learned a lot of different things. Although I knew them in my head, I didn't actually believe them or feel them in my heart. Your walk with Christ is a constant process, working through things and learning more about yourself. I recently discovered what it meant to find my identity in Christ. My self worth is in only what He says is true about me. I am typically a people pleaser; always needing them to be happy with me and I try to make that happen focusing on others rather than myself. When I focus on others I spend so much energy on them and not me, sometimes making me depressed because you can't please everyone. It's EXHAUSTING and disappointing most the time.

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10

Anyway, I had a break through the last week finally understanding what this really meant. I no longer felt the need to make everyone like me and worry about being perfect for them. When something negative and degrading happens to me I just let it slip right through me. No reaction, knowing it doesn't matter what they say. I no longer needed their approval. I knew that as long as I tried and gave everything that's all anyone can expect. There is nothing more I can do, no one is perfect. If I kept shooting and really focusing on the basket but keep missing, then that's how it is. I feel like this has to do with my constant need for worry. I am no longer worrying so much. It takes to much energy and there is no need because things always work out for the better...better than we think possible. LOVE this verse!!

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:25-27, 33-34

So the other day in our game against the top team I witnessed the best worship time yet. It was amazing. I prayed for 25 minutes before the game on my walk to the gym just asking for the joy and happiness I experienced at the beginning of the season; that I would give everything up to the Lord. That I could play with freedom in Him and just play my heart out. And that's what happened. I played hard, aggressive, and with energy (like I did back in college). I felt like my old self again. Throughout the game I would take moments to Praise God and thank Him; during free throws and time outs. Giving it all to Him. Although I missed most of my easy buckets and coach was screaming his head off, I did not let it get to me. I can't have a perfect game. Knowing that my worth is not in other's opinion or view of me but what Jesus says is true helped me keep focused and not get in my head.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." -Romans 12:1

Our bodies should be used to worship Him through what we do, in my case sport. I give my body entirely to worship. I exhaust it physically through playing hard and pushing myself to new limits. It's freeing giving everything to the Lord and being motivated by Him, what he did for us.

Anyways, it was amazing and just wanted to share.