"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11*).
A friend once encouraged me to memorize Bible verses alphabetically — one for each letter. I accepted the challenge and carefully selected 26 passages from Scripture. These memorized verses became an essential part of my faith journey.
I have discovered that God's word is powerful. It is the truth. As stated in Proverbs 4:22*, it brings life and healing. When I filled my heart and mind with it, it brought me peace and encouraged me to praise. If I am awake at night and unable to fall back asleep, I recite these memorized verses to focus my thoughts. If I am anxious during a medical procedure, I meditate on them to calm myself. I have learned that praise and anxiety cannot coexist within me at the same time.
When we follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can use Scripture to resist temptation through truth, incorporate it into our prayers, or speak it as a blessing over the lives of those we love. All this becomes much easier when we have memorized God's word and it dwells in our hearts. This requires spiritual discipline, which I find very beneficial and encouraging.
Link to the original article: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2022-11-09
Biblical quotes are from Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013