Throughout history, men and women have drawn strength from stepping away from the crowd to quietly commune with their Maker. Isaac of old “went out to meditate in the field at the eventide,”1 as did David2 and Jesus3 and so many others in the scriptures. In more recent history, the story is told of General Charles Gordon, who, during a wartime campaign in Africa, began each day in private meditation. Every morning while he pondered and prayed, a white handkerchief lay outside his tent door, signaling to his troops that he was not to be disturbed. No matter the emergency, General Gordon knew he could better meet the challenges of the day if he took time to meditate.4
Some may think meditation is a waste of time. Perhaps they’re too busy or too tired or too set in their ways. It may not be easy to justify a time for sitting still and thinking deeply. But as suggested in Proverbs, there is wisdom in pondering “the path of thy feet.”5 Rather than aimlessly hurrying through life, stop to consider where you’ve been and where you want to be. Stop to ask yourself questions that don’t have ready answers. Pause to consider why you feel the way you do.
Something about closing ourselves off from worldly distractions and really pondering gives us some perspective and helps us feel better about life. When we look heavenward for guidance, our problems become less troublesome, our worries less taxing, and our heartaches less overwhelming. The more sincerely we meditate, the more inner strength we receive. Our convictions deepen, our lives become more purposeful, and our love is more abiding when we take time to meditate.
Program #3970
1. Genesis 24:63.
2. See Psalm 143:5.
3. See Matthew 14:23.
4. See Gordon B. Hinckley, Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, 2 vols. (2005), 1:269.
5. Proverbs 4:26.