This year I’m using the Wednesday posts to go through the Psalms. However, there are 150 Psalms and only 52 weeks in a year. So, this year we’ll go through Psalms 1-50.
I love the Psalms because they are a record of written prayers to God. {And I love to write out my prayers to God.} Journaling prayers is also a great way to discover God’s vision for your life. {I discuss the importance of prayer and planning in my new ebook, Visionating.}
Hopefully, as we endeavor in this project this year, we’ll find truths to apply to our life on how to get direction for our unique life path. Let’s start with Psalm 1 (NLT).
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Here we have some practical advice for success. No need to run to the Self-Help section of the bookstore to get the latest advice on how to become wildly rich and famous in 30 days. It’s all laid out for you in Psalm 1: meditate on His Word day and night.
Bible meditation is different from Eastern meditation. Biblical meditation involves filling your mind with something whereas Eastern religious practices aim to keep your mind empty, free of thoughts. Our minds are never truly empty, even if we are trying to empty our minds, we are thinking of emptying them…which is a thought.
If I don’t consciously set my mind on the things of God, then gravity will take over, so to speak. The mind of the flesh will have full reign. (Romans 8) And that mind is filled with unbelief (not faith), worry (not peace), the worst (not the best), and fear (not confidence). So it’s best to think on God’s Word and fill my mind with it.
Some ways to fill your mind with God are by reading the Word, muttering Scriptures to yourself as you do mindless tasks like washing dishes, memorizing portions of Scripture, and writing out Bible verses. This process doesn’t take much, 5 minutes here and there. But as you continue with it, you’ll notice your appetite for the Word increasing.
Personally, when I started engaging myself in the Word of God more often, I noticed that my desire for other things started to wane: checking Facebook, watching or reading bad news in the media, checking email, etc. God’s Word truly changes you from the inside out, but it’s in baby steps over a long period of time.
Before you know it, you’ll become a mighty tree planted by Rivers of Living Water, abiding in the True Vine of Christ…
Hi Preslaysa! I’m a new follower to your blog, and I love what I’m reading. I checked into your eBook entitled Visonating and also loved what I read there. Keep going, girl! God has BIG plans for you! Jer. 29:11
Thanks, Suzanne!!! I’m glad you enjoyed it. So glad to connect with you.