Renew Your Prayer Life: Scripture and the ArtsExemplo

Christian Meditation and Contemplation

If you find your mind often racing in overdrive, consider exploring Christian Meditation and Contemplation. “Be still and know that I am God,” says Psalm 46:10. Christian meditation stills the active mind. It moves prayer out of our frontal lobes—the logical, verbal, organized part of our brain—deeper into our subconscious thoughts and feelings.

Consider this artwork.

Artist William Bonilla created this digital artwork titled “Oración (Prayer).” Notice how the prayers deconstruct and float away. Do you think this man’s soul is reaching heavenward as he prays? Perhaps William explored Romans 8:26:

“But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

Christian Meditation deliberately focuses on one thing—maybe a Scripture or “the love and forgiveness of God”—and musing, considering, or pondering what it means. As you ruminate, you might gaze out the window, finding a new level of peace and calm that slowly dawns within you.

After some time, you may naturally move into Christian contemplation (sometimes called “silent prayer” or “listening for God”), where you silently acknowledge the presence of God, inviting the feeling of your relationship with God to envelop you. Perhaps a word or phrase from your meditation will repeat in your mind, or the sense of your deeper understanding will remain with you.

If you want to try a prayer of meditation and contemplation, you can follow these steps:

1. Choose a Scripture, thought, or aspect of God as a meditation focus. Read it before you begin. Have it near, in case you want to refer to it.

2. Sit with God in a quiet place. Think about Him and His holiness, and invite Him into your heart and mind. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you pray beyond words (Romans 8:26-27).

3. Begin to ponder your meditation focus. Ask God to help you understand it better. You can remain on this step for as long as you like—some may focus in this way for 2 minutes, and others will stay here for hours.

4. At times, you may find yourself crossing over into contemplation, where you are listening and sitting in God’s presence without focusing. You may move back and forth between meditation and contemplation throughout this prayer session; this is natural.

If you find your mind wandering—which is common, especially if this is a new approach to prayer for you—gently bring your thoughts back to the Scripture you are contemplating.

How might God connect with you in new ways through prayers of contemplation?