Faith

Episode 158: Creating time to meditate on God’s Word

March 22, 2023

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Hey lady, 

In today’s episode, we discuss the importance of creating time to meditate on God’s Word.    

I hope the bible verses I share resonate with you and  encourage you to  seek God’s truth.

Much love, 

Wendi  

  • [00:00:00] Wendi: hello ladies. And welcome to episode [00:01:00] 158. Today, I want to share with you all three verses that I’ve recently discovered, or I don’t want to say discovered that I’ve actually, um, read and meditated on and really focused on, um,
  • [00:01:17] Wendi: Holding on to as. A go-to whenever my mind is going elsewhere, when it wants to. Um, Really go into like the, um, overthinking or, um, maybe even possibly thinking that I shouldn’t be feeling this way because sometimes I know for. At least for me. This is a fact because I have indulged so much and.
  • [00:01:46] Wendi: Um, Not needing or not. Um, Not being okay for me to feel this negative emotions sometimes. And I’m like, no, I should be grateful and I should not be, you know, [00:02:00] complaining or. You know, I’m going to create season of my life and, you know, I should not go back to these negative emotions or even. You know, like, um, mind drama or overthinking or just, you know, in a place where I don’t think I should be. And so we do this a lot and again, I’m speaking more about me here.
  • [00:02:23] Wendi: I tend to do this even more when a lot of things are going great. A lot of the things are going well. And then my immediate fear, because I have a brain that is constantly trying to protect me of what ball is going to drop or what, you know, what is going to happen. Like. What circumstance am I going to be hit with now after, you know, going through a hard season, like, I feel like now that I’m going through a great season or my.
  • [00:02:50] Wendi: The season that I, that I was in is. Evolving and, um, you know, moving into a different season in my mind, I’m thinking, okay, something else is going to [00:03:00] happen or. And by that, I mean, Excuse me by that. I mean, not even like just anything but something bad. Right. And so for me, I have to really stay grounded in.
  • [00:03:13] Wendi: Understanding what is going in my mind being really aware. But also going back to something that I know is true, going back to God’s word, going back to how is, um, going back to truth and how this is going to help me stay grounded. And so I wanted to share with you all. These three verses. And not only that, but also really encourage you to make time to get into the word. And if you’re like me and you’re like, okay, I have other thousand things going on, not to mention, I want to rest and not to mention.
  • [00:03:50] Wendi: I want to be able to do. A thousand other things, right? Like that’s what we have in mind, but we forget that sometimes. If we. [00:04:00] Go go go. And don’t take a moment to take a break or even take a moment to go back to your foundation. Go back to what you believe in, in, in a white, you need to be reminded of, right? Because again, we’re human.
  • [00:04:14] Wendi: We cannot remember everything and. I don’t know what’s going on here. Excuse me, but. For most of us, we aren’t able to remember, remember. Um, or memorize verses, right? Like for me, it’s very hard to memorize a verse. But at the same time, if I really, you know, set my mind to it and stick to it, then of course, yeah. Repetition will help me.
  • [00:04:37] Wendi: Um, memorize things. And so like for me, my goal isn’t to memorize versus a, my goal is to be able to remember that there’s a verse. In the book in the Bible. And are in a book within the Bible that can help me, that can guide me and give him more understanding of why I may be feeling this way or why I may be thinking in a certain way. Right. And God has [00:05:00] equipped us.
  • [00:05:01] Wendi: With his word already ahead of time, because he knew that we were going to be in these situations. And so I know that some of you, you. You know, have already a full calendar, a full schedule and are possibly even deployed or maybe, you know, are expecting, or may we also have a newborn at the house and.
  • [00:05:19] Wendi: You know, I want to emphasize the importance of going back to God’s word. I want to emphasize how important it is to have. A foundation that you can ground to and refer to when you are feeling discouraged, when you are feeling. Um, alone when you are feeling. Um, in a space where. You no longer can, um, CA get or gain more energy from.
  • [00:05:49] Wendi: So when you feel like completely depleted. And, you know, I say that in the most, um, You know, graceful way, like, yes, it’s [00:06:00] hard. Yes. There are going to be days that you’re like, okay. I, I tried to open up my Bible app or my Bible. But I was just exhausted and I get it. There will be days like that.
  • [00:06:11] Wendi: But at the same time, we don’t want it to be. The, um, We don’t want that to be the consistent. Excuse or the consistent. Um, message that we give ourselves. Every single day, because then a week weeks go by months, go by. And now you’re again in this. Spiral of not knowing how to handle. Certain situations and here’s, here’s the thing about.
  • [00:06:37] Wendi: Staying grounded in the word. As you guys know. I, I love coaching. I get coached and I get all the coaching that I can, um, With within my own thinking, um, do self coaching as well. And it’s something that I have to practice. Every single day, either in the morning or afternoon where I’m like, okay, why am I like super [00:07:00] overwhelmed right now?
  • [00:07:01] Wendi: Or why am I thinking ahead and thinking. Different things or negative things about this circumstance, because I ultimately have the control of what I want to think about this certain thing or this situation or this circumstance. And so I want to offer you all today. Not only these three verses that I will share with you.
  • [00:07:21] Wendi: But also the opportunity that you have ahead of time to make time. To figure out your own routine when it comes to.
  • [00:07:34] Wendi: Taking time to meditate on God’s word, or even if it’s through prayer. And I’m going to do another episode about prayer. Um, at another time. ’cause I’ve been struggling with that too. Like how do I take the time? To actually pray intentionally and yes, I’ll pray in the morning with my kids in the evening.
  • [00:07:52] Wendi: And we’ll do a prayer and you know, sometimes I’ll sit behind my desk and I’ll pray, but at the same time, It’s this, um, [00:08:00] this, uh, Or I want to implement this within my routine. And I feel like I’ve fallen back from it. And so again, I’ll be talking more about that in a separate episode, but I wanted to focus on this first because it’s very important to even so.
  • [00:08:19] Wendi: If you go. Um, back in the Bible or you go back to your, um, devotionals and even just read through that, it gives you a sense of, um, I don’t want to say urgency, but it encourages you. To want to do a prayer. And by that, I mean that you don’t want to do a prayer by that. I mean, it encourages you to actually use the words.
  • [00:08:43] Wendi: That you may need for that prayer, right? Because again, being led by the whole experience is completely different than you just not being led by the holy spirit or anything, um, to guide you. And so again, I want to be able to. Help you [00:09:00] understand that? Yes. It’s going to be difficult to find some time to open up your Bible app instead of, um,
  • [00:09:08] Wendi: Uh, you know, going asleep or resting or maybe even getting on social media. But let’s be honest here. Like how many times or chances or opportunities that you have a day. That you’re missing out on. Not only God’s word, but also meditating on his org. Like. Taking some time to actually cope back and really uncover.
  • [00:09:31] Wendi: What God is trying to show us. And maybe not necessarily to encourage us right away, but to give us a stepping stone into how this could. Not necessarily only benefit you. But maybe somebody else that you encounter. And so that’s how I always want to think about it too. Right? Like how do I continue to sing in the word?
  • [00:09:54] Wendi: So that I can point my loved ones to it so that I can then have this background is [00:10:00] context. For when I do speak to them about God. And when I do point to them in that direction. Right, because it’s a lot easier to say, Hey. You know, I know that God wants us for us because I know it’s here somewhere in one of these books.
  • [00:10:13] Wendi: It’s probably in Peter or in Psalms or in. John. Um, but again, if we don’t know that and we haven’t heard it or we haven’t, you know, referenced it. There’s no way that we’ll be able to elaborate on that. And for me, At least my goal or my every day, um, motivation is to really just be a vessel V a um,
  • [00:10:38] Wendi: A source to, to help someone else other than myself. And yes, of course there is a selfish desire, you know, self-centeredness. That I have about me because that’s literally the nature of us humans being on this broken world. You know, to also help me as an individual and evolve as a [00:11:00] wife, as a mother.
  • [00:11:01] Wendi: And really just as a believer as well. And so. Again, yes, there are reasons why we do things, but at the same time, I want you to focus to not, or not to only focus on yourself, but to also. Uh, Peter ready to, to share this message, to share, you know, what you learn, because that’s really what it’s all about. You want to be able to continue to spread God’s word, to spread his message.
  • [00:11:26] Wendi: And that’s honestly why I think we’re here to continue to, um, You know, share that and not only through what we’re sharing, but also through our actions and through how we show up every single day in our lives. And so again, Being able to set that time apart and being able to go to versus, and again, I’m sharing these verses just to kind of share with you how they impacted me.
  • [00:11:51] Wendi: But also to show you that, Hey, like it’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be a walk in the park or, you know, something that you just, [00:12:00] you know, you’re just so motivated to do. Like, I can’t wait. And you know, for some of you, maybe you’re there already, right? You’re already hungry for the word.
  • [00:12:07] Wendi: And that’s like the place that I want to get to every single day and in a way where it’s not like an obligation. Right. And I think that that most of the time we think it’s an obligation. We need to check the block. We want to make sure that we’re. Um, you know, just setting the, the time that we are our goal or whatever it was for this month or for.
  • [00:12:27] Wendi: You know this week that we’re achieving that. And I want to offer you a different perspective. I want you to be able to use this time or set this time so that you can not only focus on. That’s the word and how you’re living, but also to share it. And if you look at it a different perspective, other than yourself, most of the time,
  • [00:12:46] Wendi: You’ll be motivated to do things again. That’s just really how our mind works. Our minds. Um, when it comes to us, of course, we’re like, okay, maybe it’s not that important. Or, you know, it can wait and we’ll push it to the right. But when [00:13:00] you immediately, you hold yourself accountable. When it’s going to benefit others when you’re like, okay, how is this going to benefit my kids? How is this going to benefit my husband? How’s this going to benefit my best friend? When you know she’s going through something, how do I guide her?
  • [00:13:15] Wendi: Or share with her, the word if I’m not in it every day. Right? So again, you want to be able to, um, do this, not necessarily. Um, you know, for a long period of time, but you want to start off with, you know, the three minute or five minute and, you know, sprinkle it in here and there, you know, maybe you want to start.
  • [00:13:38] Wendi: Or do it, you know, once a week, you want to do it twice a week for three minutes and really just have that time. Um, to focus on God’s word and it could be, again, it could be through your phone. It could be through a Bible. And what I always recommend is that you focus on. Doing it at the best time that works for you. Meaning when [00:14:00] do you have the most energy? When will you focus the most? Because let’s face it. Everyone has a different.
  • [00:14:06] Wendi: Um, way of dealing with our distractions and not only that, but also how they are able to focus and actually use that time. Um, in a way that it’s going to serve you. So I would never try to read the Bible when my kids are around. Like, it’s just not going to work. They’re either asking me a thousand questions or they’re sharing with me.
  • [00:14:29] Wendi: There are they at school or my, um, newborn? Well, now she’s five months. And you know how, you know, she’s, she’s needing my attention. Like she’s crying or she needs her diaper changed or she needs to be fed or whatever that may look like. But again, I do this either in the morning. Or late at night, it’s when it works the best for me throughout the day. I’m doing.
  • [00:14:53] Wendi: 10 other different things. I am either, you know, on my nine to five. I’m thinking about my coaching. I’m [00:15:00] thinking about podcasting. I’m thinking about. Different other things like what are we having for dinner, all these other things that I know, um, you know, I have to prepare for. So for me that time is when I don’t want to be distracted from other things that I know I have going on.
  • [00:15:16] Wendi: I may be preparing for a meeting. I mean, I may be. Having this conversation with my husband and about our finances or something else that comes up. Right. I mean, there are just so many things that happened the other day. That for me, that is not the time to focus on reading the word. Now, if I do set time intentionally apart, select, let’s say when I’m in the car line, I’m like, okay, I’m going to read for 10 minutes.
  • [00:15:42] Wendi: Or when I’m in the car line. Great. I can do that. But again, I have to be in a space aware. The environment is helpful for me. And my energy level is so high throughout the day. And so of course that would work, but again, whatever works for you is going to. You know, [00:16:00] serve you the best because you know, maybe for you, it’s at four in the morning, maybe for you as at 10:00 PM, whatever they may look like, but.
  • [00:16:07] Wendi: Being able to be intentional about it. Is definitely going to go a long way. So here are the three vs that. Uh, really just, um, resonated with me and I’m like, oh my gosh, I wish I would have read this like three months ago, six months ago. And the first one is in Psalms 42, verse one, as the deer longs for streams of water. So along for you, oh God.
  • [00:16:31] Wendi: So the way I not only read this and it stood out to me because I’m like, As the deer longs for streams of water. I’m like, why tear? Right? Like what, why the deer. Like I need to go back in and read some more, but. To just summarize this. In a season of drought. Um, and I, I had notes here. Right? So, um, I don’t know about if for those of you that use the Bible app, you can highlight, you can do notes, you can do like [00:17:00] different things. Um,
  • [00:17:01] Wendi: Highlight in different colors. To help you stay organized. And so what I like to do, I like to use notes. And in a way that it’s going to help me under, um, go back or refer to it when, you know, um, I’m going to season a drought or I’m tired, right? Like I just label it, um, tired or exhausted or seasonal trout, whatever that may be. For example, this one, it was in a season of drought.
  • [00:17:27] Wendi: That way when there’s something that you know, that I’m in this situation, I immediately go back to this verse and it helps me really just stay organized with everything that I’m reading that is sustaining out to me because there’s a lot, every single time I opened this app. Everything stands out to me, but.
  • [00:17:45] Wendi: Here, it’s talking about. Tired of running tired. Um, of possibly being hurt. And when Deere, um, are they long for shoes of water [00:18:00] is because they’re either in a season of drought or. They’re also tired of running. Or they’re hurt. And so when we are. In that situation. I want to long for that. I want to long for his word. And so that’s why this one right here, I’m like, oh my gosh, I need to go back to this verse. Whenever I am feeling.
  • [00:18:24] Wendi: Not only hurt. But also tired. And when I tell you I’ve been feeling tired, at least not as much anymore. Praise God. Um, but at the very beginning, when, um, Jayla was a newborn, it was, it was pretty exhausting in a way where. It wasn’t necessarily the lack of sleep. It was more so the thinking of I’m missing out on so many things, I need to catch up on this. I need to be focused on that. I need to create my new routine. I was like solar rush. And so my mind was like,
  • [00:18:53] Wendi: Just. Just rushing and trying to race, uh, you know, to the. You know, the next [00:19:00] thing that I have to do when I needed to be resting. And so that was really where my exhaustion was coming from. And then the next. Um, verse here is Psalms 9 91 to. This I declare about the Lord. He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. He is my God and I trust him.
  • [00:19:20] Wendi: He is my refuge. And when I read this and or when I read this. Um, you know, at first I was like, okay. Yeah, he is my refuge. And so, you know, what. Like, what does that really mean? And so for us, or at least for me, Is really just spending time with. With him when I need this space of refuge. Right. Because when, um,
  • [00:19:53] Wendi: You are not necessarily hiding, but when you are running away, Um, or trying to [00:20:00] find this space where. Um, you could be rescued, right. And then, so like for me, Is my thoughts. How do I get rescued? For my thoughts. And for me, it’s always seeking him, going back to his word. He is. Um, My shelter.
  • [00:20:19] Wendi: And so even though we cannot see him and we cannot, um, feel him or, you know, just. Anything of that sort. I at least know in my mind that he is with me. And so as his children, We can rest in him in his strength, in his power. Knowing that he is going to keep us safe from any situation, any circumstance that we experienced because he created us and he knows exactly what’s best for us.
  • [00:20:49] Wendi: And so it’s kind of like this. Point where I can go to and know that I will be safe. And that’s really what our minds minds want. Right. We want to feel safe. [00:21:00] We want to feel. As you know, somebody’s got us and that’s God. And so regardless of what this difficult thing may be, right, like for me, it’s still grieving, right? I’m still in this phase of grief.
  • [00:21:13] Wendi: And sometimes I’m like, no one can understand me. Like, not in a way, like in a negative way or in a way of like, no one has ever experienced this before, but no one can understand me. Like God can, because he knows what’s best for me. He knows what’s best for my family. He knows. That, what I need right now is just his presence.
  • [00:21:32] Wendi: And to trust him. And so when I’d read that, I’m like I can go back to this verse and feel protected and safe. And that’s honestly, sometimes all that. That I’m longing for. And you sometimes won’t even know this. Right. You won’t know exactly what you’re longing for. You’re just feeling lost. You’re like, okay.
  • [00:21:50] Wendi: I need something, but what is it? And it’s so simple sometimes, and God has told us like, He alone is our refuge. He [00:22:00] alone is our safety Mike place of safety. He is my God and I trust him. Like we can trust them. He is a refuge, like. He is. They’re available 24, 7, 7 days a week all the time for when we need him. And again,
  • [00:22:16] Wendi: If we don’t go back to the word or we don’t get reminded of this. We’re going to go into a whole mind drama and, you know, additional things that possibly could have been prevented. And so that one. Was one that really hit me. Um, hard when I was reading it. And then the last one, um, God will restore you.
  • [00:22:40] Wendi: This one. Really, really, um, Stood out to me. And I actually shared this one. With my best friend, because she and I were having this conversation. We were just talking on the phone. And she brought something up and, um, you know, something along the lines of her, um, needing some strength and, you [00:23:00] know,
  • [00:23:01] Wendi: Not wanting to feel this way. Or not really. Um, Needing to feel this way, right? Like, why am I feeling this way? Um, and so I shared this with her. And, you know, The reason I shared this with this verse with her is because it really. Um, resonated with me. And it’s something that I didn’t know if she had.
  • [00:23:21] Wendi: You know, taking the time to read. Um, dispersed and it’s in one Peter chapter five. Verse 10. In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while he were a story, he will restore support and strengthen you and he will place you on a firm foundation.
  • [00:23:43] Wendi: And so, um, if you go and read this chapter, You will find that it also states and verse eight, if you go before to stay alert, watch out for the great enemy, the devil, he prowls around like a roaring lion [00:24:00] looking for someone to devour stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. Stand from a guesstimate and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering.
  • [00:24:13] Wendi: And so when I went back to that chapter and then I told her to go back to and start reading from verse eight, And then goes into verse 10 that I just read. It makes a lot of sense all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering. You are. Believers. Family of believers are going through the exact same thing.
  • [00:24:32] Wendi: Suffering that we, that you are. And so that really resonated with me cause I’m like, okay, I’m not alone here. I’m not alone in my suffering. Got a gnosis and as a believer, It’s an expectation. To suffer. Now there are different stages and levels of suffering, right? Like we have different definitions.
  • [00:24:52] Wendi: Um, of course there’s one that’s provided, but. Uh, meaning or what would make it mean is different for everyone. And [00:25:00] so my suffering right now is different from her suffering, right? Like we’re in different seasons. And so again, having something to remind you. That listen, this is normal. This is the expectation. As a believer, as a Christian, you have to stay alert.
  • [00:25:14] Wendi: Because. There’s always, the devil is always roaring. Pro he prowls around like a rolling line lion. And he’s looking to devour, so you have to stand firm against them. And we strong in your faith. And remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
  • [00:25:35] Wendi: And then it goes on to has kinda has got a call to you to share his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while he, or a story, you to restore support and strengthen you. And he will place it on a phone foundation. So again, When you go back and you meditate on this and you remind yourself,
  • [00:25:53] Wendi: He will restore support and strengthen me. Like, what, what other reminder do I need? Like, how else can I continue to [00:26:00] show up in this way? God’s got me. Right. And so again, the importance of you. Being in his word. Meditating on his word. When you feel like you don’t have any more strength, when you feel like you don’t have anywhere to go when you’re feeling alone and you don’t know.
  • [00:26:16] Wendi: That or no one understands you, you know, that he does. And when you’re in a season of just exhaustion and you just want to yearn for his or thirst for his word for, for, for him, for his presence. You know that he is your refuge. And you know, that. In a season of drought where you can go to him. And so.
  • [00:26:39] Wendi: Again, you know, Ping intentional with, even if it’s three minutes, five minutes on how you can call to his word, how you can go and seek him when you need him the most. I really hope and pray that this episode blessed you and that you not only can go back to these verses, but you go and you implement this.
  • [00:26:58] Wendi: Or right away. [00:27:00] What, how are you going to spend time in the word today to help you remind you? Because remember what you’re thinking what’s going on in your mind is how you’re going to create that emotion. And it’s how you’re going to drive that action. And it’s how you’re going to create the result.
  • [00:27:13] Wendi: And so when you’re crowded, And you can, um, You can get rescued from these neck. I don’t say negative thoughts, but these thoughts that aren’t serving you. And you can go back in into this foundation of truth foundation. That God has already given us. It’s definitely going to create a positive. Emotion. It’s going to continue to help you be intentional with what God wants you to do on this earth. And so I highly encourage you that you do that and that you implement it and you, you know, not only, you know, have to start with a huge goal, right? Like do it once a week.
  • [00:27:50] Wendi: And then, you know, you can then, um, Compounded component to three times a week or whatever that might look like for you. But [00:28:00] remember. When it works for you, when it best works for you is going to be helpful and beneficial and Serbia. All right. Have a beautiful rest of your week. Talk to you soon. Bye.
  • [00:28:12]