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Weekly Newsletter Archive >
Cultivating Inner Quiet
Cultivating Inner Quiet
Oct 22, 2009
Did you know? I spoke to you recently about the negative effects environmental noise has on your health including hearing loss, increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and increased appetite leading to weight gain. What I want to focus on today is quieting the inner noise, which is just as destructive to true health. “Internal noise” or the constant stream of self-talk that runs through your mind can greatly impact your health as well.
Much of this internal noise or self-talk is negative – thoughts of worry, anger, fear, anxiety, guilt and shame. Those thoughts, as we’ve seen before, create chemical reactions that powerfully affect your physical body. The seemingly never-ending cycle of noisy self-talk, if not dealt with, can cause chronic stress which has been implicated in heart disease, cancer, depression, fatigue, digestive problems, chronic pain and more!
It’s critical that we find ways to quiet this inner conversation and change it from negative to positive in order to create vibrant wholeness and true health. We are told in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
The first step of the 3-D Living Program deals with detoxing or cleansing spirit, soul and body and outlines several strategies for taking your thoughts captive and making them line up with the Word of God. Your thinking is critical to a healthy spirit and soul. To me, this is foundational if we are to live in peace (shalom-wholeness). I would like to focus on one very effective and possibly misunderstood way to achieve this – meditation.
Meditation has been proven to quiet the mind, relax the body, reduce stress hormones, boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, improve concentration and sleep, relieve headaches and even lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. But for many Christians, meditation has a negative connotation because we automatically think of “transcendental meditation.” It conjures up visions of “contemplating your navel,” emptying your mind and chanting or, worse, leaving yourself open to ungodly spiritual forces. What I am suggesting is Christian meditation and yes, there is definitely such a thing!
We are encouraged numerous times in scripture to intentionally fill our minds with God’s Word. For example:
Philippians 4:8 (Message Bible) Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Joshua 1:8 NIV Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Isaiah 26:3 NLT You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Matthew 15:19 reveals the intimate connection between spirit and soul (mind, will and emotions): “For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.”
There are different ways to meditate on God’s Word and spend quality time in His presence, allowing him to draw you into a closer, more intimate relationship.
The Christian Meditator
To learn more about Biblical, Christian meditation and listen to some sample meditations, click the Christian Meditation link on links page on my website.
Christian Meditation CDs
If you would like to order one of these excellent CDs simply click the link on the Products page and you’ll find several, including “How to Control Negative Thoughts” and “As I Open My Eyes” and “When I Close My Eyes” meditations – the perfect way to begin and end each day!
Father Really Does Know Best 30-Day Devotional
My new 30-day devotional e-book has a reading for each day as well as a scripture and faith confession you can meditate on throughout the day. It is an effective way to keep God’s Word in the forefront of your mind.
Free Online Christian Conference
The free online Christian Conference originally scheduled in June has been rescheduled for November 7th! I am one of four speakers. Visit the link to sign up for updates. There will be free material give-aways, a store with wonderful resources to purchase and so much more. Join me on November 7th and be blessed!
You can choose a particular scripture from your Bible reading or daily devotional and just repeat that scripture to yourself throughout the day – think about it, imagine yourself “doing” it or as one of the participants in the scripture. How can you apply it to your life today?
One of the best ways to spend time with God in meditation is by using a Christian meditation CD. There are some excellent ones you can purchase by visiting the link below. I have used several myself and they are wonderful! By simply popping the CD in and either listening just like that or putting headphones on and shutting out everything else, you can close your eyes, take a deep breath, relax and let God’s Word fill your mind, reset your thoughts and prepare your spirit for the rest of the day. It’s an excellent way to begin or end the day.
I encourage you to make Biblical meditation part of every day and I guarantee you will realize great benefits in your life.
As always, until next week I wish you abundant, overflowing health, peace and joy and I call you BLESSED!
Ann
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