By Robert J. Morgan
I’m sure you know what it’s like to be tired. Perhaps you feel exhausted right now. When our strength ebbs, it affects our emotions, which affects our relationships. The Devil knows our frailties, and he knows when we’re bleak and weak. Our bodies, minds, and souls are wondrously intertwined, so when we droop in one area, it has a cascading effect. The Bible says, “If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!” (Proverbs 24:10).
We’re living in a difficult age, and events on the world stage are disconcerting. In times like these, we need to be stronger husbands, stronger wives, and stronger people. We need stronger children, stronger families, stronger churches, and a stronger determination to tackle each day for good and for God. If you’re like me, you want stronger faith, stronger peace, stronger joy, and more stamina to do the work the Lord assigns each day.
I didn’t have the strength to look up all the synonyms of strength in the Bible, so I contented myself to look up the words strength and strengthened as they occur in just one translation. Even at that, I found more than two hundred references. Thumbing through each of them, I isolated several passages that spoke to my exact need and went to work memorizing them—meditating on them in the morning and in the evening. As I do so, I feel like I’m connecting my 40-watt life to the nuclear reactor of the very personality of God.
Sometimes we feel weak as water, and we need extra strength. We’re prone to reach for things that provide temporary relief but no permanent solution. There is a better way—and it’s found in meditating on God’s Word. Biblical meditation is the powerful practice of pondering, personalizing, and practicing Scripture.
How to Meditate on Scripture
- Ponder: Read the passage attentively, perhaps aloud. If you have time, read the passage in the fuller context I suggest. Imagine the Lord speaking these words to you in a personal way. Take time to focus your attention on each word and seek to understand what the passage means.
- Personalize: Now consider what this passage means to you. Read it meditatively. Don’t think of this as an academic exercise but as personal reflection. Let God speak to your heart as you mull over the verses He’s given you in Scripture. If the Lord were sitting down beside you and speaking these words audibly to you, what verse, phrase, word, truth, command, or promise would affect you most deeply?
- Practice: At the end of your time, jot down that verse or phrase to take with you into the day. You might write it on a note card, a page in your calendar, or an easily retrievable place on your phone. Review it all day, as you shower, drive, walk, work, or rest. Think about it as you fall asleep tonight. Try sharing it with someone. Put into practice and do whatever it says. The secret is letting Bible verses circulate through your mind like water through a fountain. As you listen to the voice of Jesus through meditation on His Word, you’ll find true peace in Him.
Five Verses to Meditate on for Strength
- Your strength will equal your days. Deuteronomy 33:25
- The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9
- The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10
- God is our refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1
- In quietness and trust is your strength. Isaiah 30:15
About the Book
Meditating God’s Way: A Christian Path to Strength and Resilience is a roadmap for people who are searching for tools that build strength and resilience. Originally adapted from Reclaiming the Art of Biblical Meditation and The Strength You Need Morgan identifies key passages from Scripture to help believer’s face life’s challenges and practical instruction on how to get the most out of biblical meditation. Morgan’s approach connects each of these passages to real-life scenarios, offering practical and spiritual encouragement for Christians seeking to rely on God’s strength in every aspect of their lives. Each strength addresses pressing issues that many people face today, making them deeply relevant and impactful.
About the Author
Robert J. Morgan is a Bible teacher and podcaster who serves as associate pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He is the author of The 50 Final Events in World History, 100 Bible Verses That Made America, The Strength You Need, The Red Sea Rules, Then Sings My Soul, Whatever Happens, and many other titles, with more than five million copies of books in circulation. He speaks at churches, conferences, and conventions all across America as well as overseas. Rob was also a homemaker and a caregiver for his late wife of forty-three years, Katrina, who battled multiple sclerosis and passed away in November of 2019. He and Katrina have three daughters and sixteen grandchildren.