“The Incredible Importance of Meditation and Pondering” by grego

“The Incredible Importance of Meditation and Pondering”
by grego
(c)2017

One recent night we read the following from The Testimony of Joseph Smith, at the beginning of the Book of Mormon:
“I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my meditation,” then stopped. Joseph Smith did not hop right on his phone or turn on his tunes–he meditated! That is the example we should all follow, especially at times of spiritual experiences.

What is the importance of meditation and pondering? How DO you meditate? How do you explain this to a teenager?

Meditation is time spent thinking about holy things.

Ideas for a great meditation:
1. Alone.

2. Quiet.

3. No distractions.

4. Have lots of time. One minute before dinner is not a great time to start to meditate.

5. Pray. Sincerely, unrushed.

6. Listen and tune in. What are you thinking? What are you feeling?

7. Remember your blessings, present, recent, and past.

8. Remember past instructions and teachings and lessons.

9. How do I repent? What do I need to repent of?
What’s bothering you? Understand yourself and the why’s behind it all. Using that, figure out a plan to break your ungodly habits. My favorite that I’ve come up with is, “And then what?” It’s all about choices AND CONSEQUENCES. If you look short-sightedly at a decision, it’s much easier to choose the wrong choice. If you continue each decision to its consequences, and follow those to other consequences, and so on, it gets much, much easier to make the correct or better decision.

10. Whom have I wronged? What can/ should I do? Ask God for forgiveness. Understand the consequences and potential consequences of your actions.

11. Whom should I forgive?

12. Bear your testimony–to yourself, to Heavenly Father, to an imagined person or group. Give yourself time to say it–and feel very free to stop, go back to something, scratch a part and go back, go deep. This builds faith, increases your testimony, and makes it easier to bear it “for real”. (I have gone on for 45 minutes with just this part.)

13. Central to the entire experience is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

14. Scriptures, hymns, family memories, and other spiritual things can greatly help.

These steps don’t need to be done every time, nor is meditating limited to these things.

If you want to understand the things God wants to teach you; if you want to increase in spirituality; if you want to grow closer to God; if you want to understand mysteries of the kingdom and godliness and truth; MEDITATE!