Renewal of the Mind & Biblical Meditation by Stan DeKoven
/Renewal of the Mind & Biblical Meditation: Two pillars of a transformed Life by Stan DeKoven
Redeeming the time during our busy seasons is something most of us know we need to do…though some of the lessons we learned in COVID days led us to perhaps wasting time in frustration and fear. During our time of social isolation, I tried both fear and faith…of course, faith has been more productive, fear revealing some of my still, at times, negative thoughts that don’t line up with God’s word. Faith, or positive action activities, have included:
More time in the Word
More time in Prayer
Reading in general (including novels)
Completing various studies for continuing education and personal enrichment.
One course I completed during the pandemic was one I took through The Great Courses, titled “Cognitive Behavior Therapy” Techniques for Re-training Your Brain, taught by Professor Jason M. Satterfield, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Satterfield covers the full range of CBT and how it can help people to make healthy changes in their life. It has been an excellent review for me (and redeemed a lot of time!). So, what does this have to do with Vision, Walk in Wisdom, USCAL or you? Well, I am glad you (or I) asked.
We all need to change, and we can. Don’t go Changing…to try to please me as the Billy Joel song goes…but without going into too much depth, with the techniques used in CBT and its more modern adaptations (mindfulness), a therapist helps to map thoughts, emotions and behaviors that are problematic to the person and helps the client change their thoughts (which precedes emotions and behavior), into a more reality/positive pattern that will eventually change emotions and behaviors (over time, sometimes with much difficulty, but positive results overtime).
CBT, in addressing fears (anxiety), depression, anger, etc., has proven quite effective for most common aliments (severe cases may benefit from medicine), and has long acting positive effectives when combined with another cognitive process called mindfulness. Well… there you have it… to grow and mature, to make necessary and helpful change… see a therapist and start meditating!
Ok, a bit extreme for most, but the insights and concepts do have some beneficial equivalency… one initiated by our redemption or justification and continued by our sanctification provided by Christ through the finished work of the cross, resurrection, ascension and enthronement. The process of growth and change, ultimately a work of the Spirit, continues, as emphasized by Paul, James to some extent and Peter, by the renewing of our mind and biblical meditation. Let me unpack this a bit.
New Testament Keys
There are numerous scriptures in the New Testament that speak to the issues of our heart/mind that needs adjustment. Of course, for those of us who believe, we are at least aware that we are New Creations, part of the one new man in the earth, wonderful, holy, beloved… that is our identity. Yet, we all know that babyhood is cute, but adulthood (maturity) is the goal ( 1 John 2: 12-14), and sin, or better yet the consequence of sin inherited, or chosen or thrust upon us can hinder our journey and maturity (wholeness). The process for our maturation is discussed in scripture, summarized as Renewing of the Mind. These include:
Eph 4:17-23 (Put off the old, Renew the mind, put on the new)
Col 3 (keep seeking those things that are above…we are already holy, chosen, beloved; therefore act on it)
Rom 12:1, 2 (show up every day and submit to the Lord, and keep lining up your thoughts with God’s word)
James 1 (Anger won’t make it happen, but the word of God pounded in will)
Heb 12:1, 2 (Looking to Jesus is key)
2 Cor 3-5 (especially know that we are reconciled to be reconcilers)
1 Pe 1:13-15, 2 Pe 1:4-9… and many more
Jesus ministry challenged the mindset of the Jewish leaders and followers alike to take a new look at scripture. His goal was to help others know his Father as he did. Thus, they were challenged to live a different life based upon love, not power. Paul, preaching to a predominantly pagan, gentile culture, challenged new converts to grow in God’s grace, embrace a new identity, throw off the chains of idolatry and immorality, and live the compassionate life of a true believer!
Of course, renewing the mind, transforming thoughts that lead to transformed affections and behaviors was not a one-time event, but a process, requiring confrontation with the Word of God, community, accountability, and a willingness to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Of course, having put off the old mind and putting on the new self, was and is an active not passive process, and maintaining the renewal required a continual process of repentance (change of thinking) that best occurs through the process of Biblical or spiritual meditation.
Meditation
There are many books on meditation from a Christian perspective. Recently I found one, now out of print, written by Paul Meier, M.D. that I found particularly helpful. To follow are some key points from his very informative work.
This is a method of Scripture meditation that Paul recommended for his psychiatric patients as well as used himself:
1. Go to a quiet place. Occasionally, vary the pace by going out alone to a lake or stream.
2. Find a comfortable position ( but preferably not lying down prone).
3. Relax your whole mind and body, including the various muscle groups.
4. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you into applicable truths as you read God’s Word.
5. Read consecutively through the Bible, but don’t place any legalistic guidelines on yourself (e.g., four chapters a day, etc.)
6. When you come to a verse that jumps out at you, offers you real comfort or otherwise confronts you with a needed behavioral change, stop and meditate on that verse or even a phrase within the verse for several minutes.
7. As you meditate on that single principle from Scripture, think of ways to personally appropriate that principle into your everyday behavior. Passively resist other unrelated thoughts and worries that intrude on your mind.
If Christians would meditate in such a manner for ten to thirty minutes morning and evening, they will probably experience the following successful results:
1. Greater knowledge of Scripture and understanding of who God is.
2. Greater personal application of Scriptural principles.
3. Lower blood pressure and other beneficial, physiologic responses.
4. Longer life of usefulness here on earth for the Lord.
5. Greater ability to passively resist anxieties of the day, even during ono-meditative time.
6. Greater awareness of unconscious truths about personal blind spots as one becomes less afraid of the truth, and one’s mind puts up less resistance to the truth.
7. Greater success in family life and business.
These are no small gains. With the power of the Holy Spirit prompting us, we can experience the renewing of our minds on a daily basis. The key is to meditate on God’s Word so that we think God’s thoughts.
Some More Helpful Thoughts
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think [meditate] on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do and the God of peace shall be with you.” - The Apostle Paul, A.D. 64; Philippians 4:8-9
1.Even though trusting Christ is all that is needed to obtain eternal life, experiencing the abundant life Christ promised (John 10:10) and experiencing the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) rather than bitterness, depression and anxiety depends on a renewing of one’s mind.
2. Renewing of the mind can come from various sources, such as confrontations about personal blind-spots from loving friends, therapy with a Christian professional counselor, convictions from the Holy Spirit, encounters with Scriptural principles in sermons or seminars, and daily meditation on Scripture.
3. Renewing of the mind is a continual process, progressive sanctification, requiring continual (preferably daily) input from God’s Word.
4. Daily meditation on Scripture (with personal application) is the most effective means of obtaining personal joy, peace, and emotional maturity.
Conclusion
Choosing to redeem our time can certainly be done now that our lives are no longer on pause. Renewing our minds and meditating on God’s word can become a life altering pattern with eternal benefits.
Bibliography - Meier, Paul, M.D., Meditating for Success, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI 1
© 2525 Dr. Stan DeKoven
