Life happens, doesn’t it? The ups and downs for Christian women seem so much worse because we put so much pressure on ourselves to “do it right”, to do something big! So it made perfect sense to start memorizing scripture because “that’s what good Christian women do”, or so I told myself. I started back in 2008 with Psalm 116. It is a beautiful Psalm but I have to be honest. It didn’t do anything for me. Hey, but I could recite it! I had a case of great pride about it. (I know confession is good for the soul but bad for the reputation!) The truth is, I fell apart.
Keeping it up almost did me in. Ignoring it was better than keeping it fresh and ready for display. I saw what this was doing to me and I was ashamed and knew I had to stop. But rather than confess my sin of pride…I stopped memorizing altogether. Smart, huh?
As life does, trials just keep coming. Late last year, I decided to try memorization again. Not so that I could be like the women I admired. Not so that I could recite it on some mountain top or stage somewhere. Not even so that I could recite it on command. I keep index cards on my desk and each day is a new verse for me to study. I add it to the previous verses I have been memorizing. I am working on James right now, and I love that it keeps me on my toes! An example of this is when I was called into my boss’ office. That day, I had been working on vs.26 in James 1. I had the opportunity to throw someone under the bus and make myself look good. All I could think about was my verse, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” One of the things I love is that it was just for me. God made it mine.
I would love to tell you that all is well in my little world. Nope, it’s pretty much the way it’s always been. But I am different. God sends His word and it heals me. (Ps 107:20.
Everyone loves Share-Your-Story Fridays. We’ve had 30 stories so far and we want to keep them coming. If anyone out there would be willing to share their story of how memorizing books/passages has benefitted them, please email me and I will send you the simple guidelines. janet@janetpope.org
Donna, Thank you for sharing part of your life with the community. I remember when we went to Israel and that first morning we couldn’t wait till it was light so we could see out the window. And when we saw the magnificence we couldn’t wait to tell the world. That trip was one of the highlights of my life. So glad to have shared it with you.
As I remember, we were standing out on that balcony and you recited Psalm 121, “I lift my eyes to the hills. From were does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” I will never forget that! What a great memory!
Thanks for sharing your story, Donna. God is so good to continually bless us as we honor Him by memorizing His Word, and having it shine through our daily lives.
God bless you, sister in Christ,
Maureen
Thanks for being so authentic and for such a great example of the power of God working within you!
Thank you for sharing, Donna. I love how the Lord uses His Word to do a work in us–even as He did right when you were standing in your boss’s office. Whether we can recite it on command or our minds go blank when are on the spot to share–in our hearts there is not a blank because He is doing His work in us through His Word. May the word of Christ continue to dwell in you richly!
I like the way you say “in our hearts there is no blank…” YES that’s it! Do we need a better reason to memorize scripture?!
Thank you Maureen. It’s interesting how memorizing also changes your own idea of what is an Honor to Him. You are so right.
Thank you Donna! The struggle with pride that goes hand-in-hand (often) with memorizing is such a battle! You’re right. I’m thankful that even though things in my little world are not different, I am different.
Donna, thank you for putting yourself out there. Anyone who has memorized big chunks of scripture has had to figure out what to do with the pride that creeps in. Your transparency helps us see how you dealt with it so we can relate and learn from your experience. That is one of the great benefits of this blog.
And isn’t it just like our God to arrange the timing so perfectly that James 1:26 was your verse the day you could have easily talked down about someone else to make yourself look good?! There is that pride issue again. God knows our hot buttons. He arranged that situation just for you. Thank God you had that verse of instruction on your tongue and the humility to obey.
Heaven only knows how many verses and situations He has lined up in my life. One that comes up time and again is from 1 Peter 3, “your adornment (paraphrase) should be more than what you wear, let it be the hidden person of the heart with a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious in the sight of God”. He knows one of my hot buttons is anger.
I an glad you reminded me,Donna, it’s for his sake and knowing how to live his way that we do this. Thank you so much, my friend.
Rich, you get me. I love that about you! I am thrilled to go through this way with you. You inspire me so much and you don’t even know it. You are one of the women I admire. Your encouragement pushes me further and further. Thank you for understanding….
Shalom, I heard Janet on the radio several yrs ago. I got her book. I had previously had an intrest in memorizing long passages. I had memorized Rom 6 and 8 and the book of James ( actually Jacob. King Jimmy who paid for the printing of the bible and who had a penchant for cutting off heads, wanted one of the disciples named after him so the translators changed Jacob to James and called it an english translation of the name. Which it is not. “Trivia,” Joseph answered to Zapenath Paneah while being savior of the world in Egypt, like Yeshua answers to Jesus while savior of the world in exile from His capital in Yerushalim.) She inspired me to start again and I have added much now. I love the pslms. So many are just like 8 verses and they are such great theology. Pslm 15 for example. I work for the government at an airbase and when my task are mundane, I try to review or work on new. It is so good to stay connected to His word. To contemplate His word, to appreciate it. His word is awsome.
One thing I try to do on a long passage i’m going to work on is start with the last verse of that chapter 1st and then move up to the next and so on until I reach the 1st verse and that way any time I review I’m always working into my strenghth instead of my weakness and I am not so inclined to gloss over the last verse in a hurry to accomplish the task of memorizing a new chapter. I don’t usually have the time to read this blog either but I’m glad its here. You know even if we do forget what we’ve studied, we will not foget it in eternity.
Happy Passover to all. He is Risen indeed. Shalom Joe Cepahs