My friend, Lauren, mentioned a couple of Sundays ago that she would be interested in writing a guest post about her scripture memory journey. A few days later she sent me these wonderful words.
Lauren, thank you for following through without any questions or prodding on my part. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Your vulnerability and practical suggestions are perfect. I hope it gives insight to anyone who may be wrestling with similar thoughts.
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I have been in a rut, a real rut, when it comes to spiritual disciplines. For the life of me, this entire year I have struggled with finding time to review my verses or read the Bible. It always seemed a daunting task to consider studying the Bible or reviewing memory verses.
My excuse for not reviewing my verses seemed to always be the fact that I had no natural breaks in my day since transitioning from college life to an 8-5 monday-friday desk job. I tried a suggestion of memorizing in the car, but since I got married I ride my bike to work because my husband takes the car. So I have been stuck in my list of excuses and unable to come up with a solution.
I have always had a knack for memorization, so memorizing a new verse was easy. I could have it memorized after one or two rounds of going over the verse. However, after not reviewing for a month I would forget the verse all together. Since college I have also been riding on the wave of PRIDE, because I already was introduced to memorizing and had to memorize 60 verses to be a Bible Study leader in college (which isn't something to brag about). So I have been hanging on to the high times of the past and listing excuse after excuse of why I didn't need to or couldn't review my verses....
And then a few weeks ago, Chad demonstrated via the work out called Insanity a concept that I have heard for a thousand times but finally made sense to my mind and heart. It is not about the intensity at which I study scripture, pray, or review verses, it is about daily devotion and frequency! I have heard this several times in the realm of setting spiritual discipline goals (keep them simple, attainable, and measurable). However, I am such an OVERACHIEVER that my idea of Bible Study is a solid hour a day and reviewing memory verses means reviewing all of them every time I pick up the pack (oh and budgeting my money means spending $100 a month and working out means running 10 miles a day).
Now don't get me wrong, it would be great if I could ACTUALLY do all of these things. And when I was in college, studying the Bible every day for a half hour to an hour was more achievable (but I didn't always do it). But in the end, I CAN'T do all of these things at this stage in life and some I will never be able to do. And I need to accept this, but it is really hard for me because I absolutely hate feeling inadequate (this = PRIDE). But through this one area, Jesus is teaching me that daily devotion to him is not about achievement but about relationship. And the important part of scripture memory and reading the Bible is not the intensity at which I do it, but that I do it and that I regularly come before Jesus.
So when this finally clicked, I decided I would review 3 verses a day (usually it goes new verse, a newer verse, and an old verse). And you know what? I have been doing this for the entire month! I have missed one day here or there, but there is frequency and I am actually reviewing my verses. 3 verses each day is enough to know I can do it, it is just the right number that I can pause at work and go over them. Now I start my day at work by going through those 3 verses, and it helps me focus on glorifying Jesus in my work. I also might increase from 3 to 5 a day next month, which means that there is still room for challenge in memorization.
I wanted to share this with you all, because I finally found a way to start memorizing that might inspire some of you to get back in the game. Maybe you also are an overachiever or maybe you don't really know where to start? But, no matter where you are with scripture memory, I hope you are frequently meeting Jesus in your day to day lives!
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See what I mean? Beautiful words and great suggestions!
Since there wasn't a post on November 15th, you all should be ready to post what you are memorizing. Right? I apologize for the lack of post that day. Thank you for your patience and grace towards me through this strange and frustrating season.
Post away, friends! Tell us what you are memorizing.
10 important comments so far. What are your thoughts?
Absolutely great suggestions Lauren! Thanks for inspiring people to get back in the game, I appreciate your vulnerability and willingness to share. :)
I'm continuing on in Romans 12. I'm going to try to get through 9-11 this round.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Thanks for your post, Lauren! I can identify with the overachiever tendancies and I loved Chad's Insanity illustration as well!
I love your suggestion and will try that out for reviewing my verses this month :)
Memorizing Proverbs 4:20-22
My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Going to memorize Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us set aside every weight, and son which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God.
Glad that I could contribute to this month's post and hopefully encourage you all!! Thanks for reading :)
Lauren, truly beautiful words! Thank you so much for sharing. I (and probably many of us) relate to what you have shared. I appreciate your dedication and faithfulness (and honesty)!
My verse for the 15th was:
"Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
For today:
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted...Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
-Matthew 5:4,6
To be honest, I do struggle with review. I need to understand (/take part in) the discipline of reviewing what I've learned, but confess that I lose interest in light of wanting to seek what God has new for me today instead. I will find a balance I hope, and also learn how PRIDE contributes to my excuses. Thanks again, Lauren for sharing!
Sheesh, this is really what I needed to read. Thanks so much Lauren, for your honesty and practicality :) The overachiever/prideful person in me appreciates it!
"FOr am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10
Hi Lauren, great post! I can definitely relate with your struggle. The Lord has been speaking to me over the past few months about my optimizing impulse...the desire I have to optimize everything about my life. Like you, I realized the root is pride. God help us optimize the one thing that truly matters--humble joy in loving relationship with Jesus.
Proud of you!!
This was very motivating! I was reading a lot about rapid language acquisition today, and one of the main principles is to simply "show up." Maybe some days you can only review for 3 minutes, but that 3 is much closer to say, 30 minutes, than is 0.
1 Corinthians 10:36, ESV
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Fear can so easily slip into our life, I struggle with fear often. Thanks for the reminder that we cannot live in fear and that we need to take small steps every day (I need to start memorizing scripture!)
I was encouraged today by these words, Lauren. Thank you for your honesty and for these practical suggestions. I love your
(oops)...heart.
My verse:
1 John 2:15
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
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