Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Obviously, the Lord is concerned with our well-being, our ability to function in a world filled with so much anxiety producing news and events. I stated in previous posts that I had to walk out of my anxiety habit that was plaguing me and renew my mind in order to live in a new peace . It wasn’t an overnight restoration or deliverance. But it was a rescue, and a very beautiful experience of getting to know Jesus. It involved a process of learning who God is and understanding why I am truly able to put my confidence and trust in Him.
If we want to have a relationship with anyone, we must first get to know them. What are the normal avenues of getting to know someone? You can talk to them, you can text them, you can call them, spend time with them. Hhhhmmm, but God is invisible. So, we can do these things with Jesus as well, it is just a little bit different. We can talk to Him by praying, we can go to a carefully chosen Bible-based church and attend regularly so that a Pastor can teach us, and we can read about Him in a book He inspired by His Holy Spirit to help us learn who He is and how He thinks.
I have found that the more of the Word I put into my mind, the healthier I become and the easier it is to know what to do when choices present themselves in my daily life. Let me suggest a few ways that I found to memorize scripture. I hasten to add, I am a person who struggles mightily with this discipline and yet because I have preserved over many years, I have been set free from anxiety and worry. Here are some ideas that worked for me.
- My first attempt and one that worked very well was writing scriptures on 3 x 5 cards and putting a rubber band around them and keeping them nearby. Read them before bed and when you awaken. If you are in a seriously difficult place with anxiety you will have to read them a lot more than this. Soon you will find that you are beginning to recall them during the day. Which scriptures should you use? Find a Bible that allows you to look up scriptures according to categories. Look up the words: Anxiety, Fear, etc. I use free Youversion Bible App on a regular basis. You can do a search for any word, it is so easy!
- This is the easiest way for me. Find scriptures set to music. I have used several but one of my favorites is Judy Rogers, Never Be Shaken. This is a good selection of scriptures that will help you focus on God’s work in us and you will begin to find rest from your stress. You will find the Holy Spirt will bring bits of the scriptures to mind as you go through your day. Please heed His clues, for He is gentle and soft-spoken.
- Rewrite the verses as you are memorizing them. The process of writing helps your brain retain more of the information. Start now, you can try memorizing the verses at the top of the page. A journey of a thousand miles, begins with the first step, let’s go!
If you have a favorite way of memorizing scripture, please write a short comment to share with others. 😊
