Chocolate Art Is Often Misunderstood: Three Common Misconceptions about Biblical Meditation

Art is often misunderstood. Many people don’t “get” it. Since meditation is more art than science, I wanted to take a moment to clear up three common misconceptions about meditation.

Emptying the Mind. Biblical meditation is not about emptying your mind, as Eastern religions practice meditation. Rather, biblical meditation is about filling your mind with the Word of God.

Chewing the Cud. Meditating is more than “mulling it over” or “chewing the cud,” as some would describe it. Those kinds of explanations imply repetition—chewing it repeatedly—but mindless repetition isn’t very appealing (and “chewing the cud” is just plain gross). So it’s no wonder, really, that people are kind of put off by the thought of meditation. Rather than mindless repetition, we’re aiming for thoughtful engagement with the Bible.

Static Activity. Most of us think of meditation as a static activity in which we stare at a passage of the Bible and think about it. That is oh-so-far from the truth. Biblical meditation is active participation with the Word.

When people think of meditation, they tend to think of Eastern religions and people sitting in the Lotus position, humming softly. For this reason, Christians can feel uncomfortable with the term, meditation.

Let’s be honest, we don’t hear much teaching about biblical meditation, even though the Bible, especially the Psalms, consistently talks about it as a positive and necessary practice for our spiritual growth.

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night (Psalm 1:2).

I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees (Psalm 119:48).

Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long (Psalm 119:97).

Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws (Psalm 119:99).

In these (and other) verses, meditating on God’s Word is as simple as thinking about it over long periods. I’m going to work with that definition so there’s no reason for you to feel uncomfortable. We’re just thinking about the Bible.