Hiding God’s Word in Our Hearts: Memorizing and Meditating on Scripture

Hello, my sweet friend!

For several weeks now, the Holy Spirit has been stirring my heart about memorizing and meditating on God’s Word.

I have to be honest with you—this is something I struggle with. Memorizing Scripture has never come easily for me. But as I have been praying and thinking about it, I keep coming back to this simple truth:

If God tells us to hide His Word in our hearts, then I believe we should take Him seriously.

Psalm 119:11 says,

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

I love that picture of storing up God's Word in our hearts.

We don't memorize Scripture simply so we can say we have memorized a certain number of verses. We hide God's Word in our hearts because there will be moments when we need that truth—and the Holy Spirit can bring it to our remembrance at just the right time.

Think about it.

When we are tempted to think something we shouldn't think, Scripture can remind us what is true.

When we are tempted to say something we shouldn't say, Scripture can remind us to pause.

When fear creeps in, God's Word can remind us that He is faithful.

When we feel discouraged, Scripture can remind us of who God is.

When we don't know what to do, His Word can give us wisdom and direction.

For me, two verses that come to mind are Philippians 4:8, which teaches us what we should allow our minds to dwell on, and Ephesians 4:29, which speaks to the words that come out of our mouths.

But how can those verses come to mind when I need them if I haven't taken the time to put them there?

Why I Need to Memorize Scripture Right Now

Right now, I am realizing that I need to memorize Scripture to help me overcome some areas in my own life that I struggle with.

One of those areas is trusting God.

Yes, I trust that God is who He says He is.

I trust that He is faithful.

I trust that He will provide for me.

I trust that He is good.

And yet, I still find myself asking, Do I really trust God?

Maybe you've experienced that too.

We can know something in our heads and still struggle to live it out in our hearts.

I feel like I have a head knowledge of God's faithfulness that needs to travel the distance from my head to my heart—to become so deeply rooted in my spirit that it changes the way I respond when fear and doubt come.

Because they do come.

The enemy knows exactly where to whisper.

He can take a circumstance and plant a seed of doubt.

What if God doesn't come through?

What if things don't work out?

What if you can't trust Him with this?

And this is where I believe having God's Word hidden in my heart becomes so important.

I want to be able to recognize those lies and answer them with God's truth.

I want His Word to be what comes to mind when fear begins to rise.

I want Scripture to remind me of what I already know to be true about God—even when my feelings are telling me something different.

I don't want my faith to remain simply head knowledge.

I want God's truth to go deep.

I want it rooted in my heart.

I want it to shape the way I think, the way I speak, and the way I respond.

And that's one of the reasons I am beginning this journey of memorizing and meditating on God's Word.

Not because I have this figured out.

But because I need Jesus and I need His truth.

Maybe you do too.

How Do We Begin Memorizing Scripture?

Maybe you're already thinking of all the reasons you can't memorize Scripture.

I'm too old.

My memory isn't what it used to be.

I don't have time.

I just can't remember things like that.

I understand.

But what if we stopped thinking about memorizing Scripture as something we have to master and simply thought of it as something we can begin?

Here are some practical ways to get started:

1. Start with a passage you already know.

Choose a verse that is familiar to you or one that God has recently used to speak to your heart.

2. Write it down.

Write the verse on one side of an index card and the reference on the other. Carry it with you and look at it throughout the day.

3. Read it out loud.

Read the verse several times a day. Hearing yourself say the words can help reinforce them in your mind.

4. Write the first letter of each word.

Once you've become familiar with the verse, write only the first letter of each word.

When you need a hint, look at those letters instead of the entire verse.

I learned about this method through Dwell Differently, which is a great resource if you want to explore Scripture memorization more deeply.

5. Draw pictures.

If you're a visual learner, drawing pictures that represent the words in the verse can help you remember it.

6. Put it somewhere you will see it.

Tape your verse to the bathroom mirror and work on it while you're getting ready in the morning.

7. Rewrite it.

Write the verse over and over. Sometimes the simple act of writing God's Word helps us remember it.

8. Put it to music.

Sing the verse or find a song that uses the Scripture you're trying to memorize. Music can be a wonderful memory aid.

9. Put it on your phone or computer.

Make your verse your lock screen or set a reminder so that you see it throughout the day.

10. Don't worry about how long it takes.

This may be the most important one.

Don't compare yourself to someone who can memorize a verse in a day.

If it takes you a week, that's okay.

If it takes you a month, that's okay too.

The goal isn't speed.

The goal is to hide God's Word in your heart.

Don't Stop at Memorizing—Meditate

Once we have Scripture memorized, we shouldn't simply check it off our list and move on.

This is where meditation comes in.

Unfortunately, because of the culture we live in, some Christians can feel uncomfortable with the word meditation. But biblical meditation is very different from the kinds of meditation that encourage us to empty our minds.

Christian meditation isn't about emptying our minds. It's about filling our minds with God and His truth.

Donald S. Whitney, in his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, describes meditation as deep thinking about the truths and spiritual realities revealed in Scripture and looking at life from a biblical perspective.

I love the way he describes meditation as “letting the Bible brew in the brain.”

Isn't that a great picture?

We don't just read God's Word and move on.

We let it sit with us.

We think about it.

We turn it over in our minds.

We ask what it means.

We consider how it applies to our lives.

And we allow God's truth to sink deeper into our hearts.

The Bible gives us many examples of meditation.

Joshua 1:8 says:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night…”

Psalm 19:14 says:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm 104:34 says:

“May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.”

And Psalm 1:1–2 describes the blessed person as one whose:

“delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

God doesn't simply want us to read His Word.

He wants His Word to shape us.

Three Ways to Meditate on Scripture

In Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney gives several practical ways to meditate on Scripture. There are three that I especially love.

1. Emphasize Different Words in the Text

Take a short verse and slowly emphasize a different word each time you read it.

For example:

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life.”

The purpose isn't simply to repeat the verse over and over.

Instead, you're slowing down enough to think about each word and allowing the truth of Scripture to sink deeper into your heart.

Whitney compares this to turning a diamond and seeing the light reflected from different angles.

I love that picture.

Sometimes we have read a verse dozens of times, but when we slow down and really meditate on it, we suddenly see something we hadn't noticed before.

2. Look for Application

One of the purposes of meditating on God's Word is allowing it to change how we live.

James 1:22 tells us to be “doers of the word.”

So, when you read a passage, ask yourself:

What is God asking me to do with this?

Is there something I need to start?

Something I need to stop?

Something I need to confess?

Something I need to pray about?

Something I need to believe?

Something I need to say to someone?

I love the idea of not closing our Bibles until we can identify at least one thing God wants us to do with what we've read.

Because God's Word isn't simply information for our heads.

It is truth meant to transform our lives.

3. Ask Philippians 4:8 Questions

Philippians 4:8 gives us a wonderful framework for meditation.

As you read a passage of Scripture, ask:

• What is true about this?

• What is honorable?

• What is just or right?

• What is pure?

• What is lovely?

• What is commendable?

• What is excellent?

• What is worthy of praise?

These questions slow us down.

They help us move beyond simply reading words on a page and begin thinking deeply about what God is showing us.

Come to God's Word Expectantly

I think this may be one of the biggest things I am learning through all of this.

When I open my Bible, I want to open it expectantly.

I want to believe that God has something to teach me.

I want to ask Him to show me what I need to see.

I want to listen.

And I want to respond.

Whitney also suggests asking questions like:

• Does this text reveal something I should believe about God?

• Does it reveal something I should praise God for or trust Him with?

• Does it reveal something I should pray about for myself or someone else?

• Does it reveal an attitude I need to change?

• Does it reveal a decision I need to make?

• Does it reveal something I should do for the sake of Christ, others, or myself?

Imagine what could happen if we approached God's Word this way—not simply as something we need to check off our Bible-reading plan, but as the living Word of God that we expect to speak truth into our everyday lives.

Will You Begin With Me?

My sweet friend, I want to invite you to do something with me.

Let's begin hiding God's Word in our hearts.

Let's choose one verse.

Let's write it down.

Let's read it over and over.

Let's carry it with us.

Let's think about it.

Let's pray it.

Let's ask God how it applies to our lives.

And let's trust the Holy Spirit to bring God's truth to our minds when we need it.

I'm not asking you to memorize ten verses.

I'm not even asking you to memorize one verse perfectly by tomorrow.

Just start.

Choose one verse that God has placed on your heart and begin there.

For me, this is an area where I know I need to grow. So, I'm not standing on the other side of this telling you what I've mastered.

I'm inviting you to begin with me.

Because I want God's Word hidden in my heart.

I want His truth to be louder than the lies of the world.

I want His Word to shape the way I think, the way I speak, and the way I respond.

And when I need truth in the middle of an ordinary day—or even in the middle of a difficult one—I want the Holy Spirit to bring that truth back to my mind.

So, my friend…

Will you begin with me?

Let's hide God's Word in our hearts.

Let's let it brew in our brains.

And let's allow His truth to take deeper root in our lives.

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”Psalm 119:11

Until next time,

Beth