Christian Meditation vs. Mindfulness: Differences & How They Work Together

Last Updated: August 28, 2024

What is the difference between Christian meditation and mindfulness meditation, and how do they work together? Many Christians are comfortable with biblical meditation, but have doubts when it comes to mindfulness meditation. How should Christians use mindfulness meditation? To answer this question, it’s important to start by understanding both forms of meditation, so that we can then see the relationship between them.

Christian meditation is a way to commune with God, by focusing our thoughts on Scripture and on His presence with us. Mindfulness meditation is a way to train our minds to be present and aware, by focusing our attention on the present moment. Both of them work together to help Christians draw near to God, experience His presence, and have more awareness, peace, and joy in our daily lives. 

In this article, we’ll compare Christian meditation vs. mindfulness meditation, looking at the similarities, differences, and unique purposes of each one. Then, we’ll see that there are many helpful ways in which these two forms of meditation work together to help us fill our minds with thoughts about God, His love, and His presence with us.

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Contents

• Christian Meditation vs. Mindfulness Meditation
  • What Is Christian Meditation?
  • What Is Mindfulness Meditation?
  • Comparing Christian Meditation vs. Mindfulness Meditation
• How Mindfulness Supports Christian Meditation
  • Christian Meditation to Know, Mindfulness to Notice
  • Christian Meditation Enriched by Mindful Awareness
• 5 Ways to Use Christian Meditation and Mindfulness Meditation Together

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Christian Meditation vs. Mindfulness Meditation

Christian meditation is a way of communing with God, by focusing our thoughts on Scripture and on His presence with us. Mindfulness meditation is a way of training our minds to be present and aware, by focusing our attention on the present moment. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

What is Christian Meditation?

Christian meditation consists of reflecting on God’s Word, the Bible, with an awareness of God’s presence with us. The basis of Christian meditation is reading Scripture, rehearsing it in our minds, and speaking with God about it. Through this prayerful process, we commune with the Lord, get to know Him better, and deepen our relationship with Him. 

There are several different purposes for Christian meditation, including:

• To commune with God and be aware of His presence with us
• To know and experience God’s attributes, including His love, kindness, and grace, making them more of a tangible reality in our lives
• To transform our thoughts by filling our minds with biblical truths, bringing our thoughts into agreement with God’s thoughts
• To deepen our knowledge of Christ and thus our devotion and obedience to Him as our Lord and King
• To memorize Scripture through rehearsal and repetition, in order to “hide God’s Word in our hearts” (see Psalm 119:11)

Christian Meditation: Thinking About God

There is a long history of meditation in the Christian faith. There are numerous verses about meditation in the Bible. These verses usually refer to meditating on God’s Word (or Law), the things He has done, and His love. For example:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. ~ Joshua 1:8

I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. ~ Psalm 143:5

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. ~ Psalm 48:9

The two Hebrew words translated as “meditate” in the Old Testament mean to sigh or murmur, and to muse on or rehearse in one’s mind (Source). The Hebrew meaning of “to meditate” is similar to our modern understanding of “to think about” (see Philippians 4:8).

Meditation in the Bible does not usually refer to the formal, seated practice that we imagine today. Rather, meditating is something that you do day and night, all day long. It means that God’s Word and what He has done for you are the things that you think about throughout the day. However, seated meditation methods are one way to practice and cultivate this everyday habit.

Christian Meditation Methods

Christian meditation helps you to fill your mind with thoughts about God, by reflecting on Scripture and allowing God to teach you and transform you through it. In order to do this, there are a few different methods you can use.

Scripture Meditation

The most basic way to meditate as a Christian is to read and reflect on Scripture. Here are some simple steps to follow:

1. Before you start reading, pray and submit the time to God. Humbly ask Him to open your heart, so that you may know Him better and understand the riches He has for you (see Ephesians 1:17-19).
2. Read a passage or verse of the Bible. 
3. Reflect on the words, repeating them in your mind or out loud if you’d like. 
4. Notice which words or phrases stand out to you. Think and pray about what the Holy Spirit wants to teach you through the passage. 
5. Finally, ask the Lord to help you act upon what you’ve learned. Meditating on God’s Word should always lead to real change in our lives, as it teaches us how to live more like Christ.

Lectio Divina

Another traditional Christian meditation method, that dates back to the 6th century, is called Lectio Divina (Latin for “Divine Reading”). This classic meditation technique is made of 4 simple steps:

1. Lectio – Read: Sit quietly and prepare your heart to receive from God’s Word. Choose a Bible verse or passage to read. Slowly read it 2 or 3 times.
2. Meditatio – Meditate: Listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you through these words. Consider what the passage says, and enter into it. Allow the Lord to gently speak to you through a specific word or phrase.
3. Oratio – Pray: Respond to what God showed you by having a conversation with Him. Dialogue with Him about what He is teaching you through the Bible verse.
4. Contemplatio – Contemplate: In this final step, simply rest in what you have learned. Pray contemplatively (silently) and commune with God in His presence.

Contemplative Prayer

Finally, contemplative prayer is another traditional Christian meditation method. For this practice, simply sit and rest in the presence of God with your heart and mind open to Him. If it helps you focus, you can think about one word from Scripture such as “peace,” “rest,” or “grace.” As you reflect on this word, let God be with you and speak to you. In this method, you don’t need to make much of an effort on your own part. Simply trust the Holy Spirit to do His work in your heart. 

Get Started with Christian Meditation

The best way to learn more about Christian meditation is simply to try it. These 3 guided meditations will help you get started. Enter His Rest: 30-Day Guided Scripture Meditation Devotional includes a detailed guide to Christian meditation methods, 30 days of guided meditations on Scripture, and journaling space on every page for writing your reflections and prayers. Get a free 3-day sample here, with step-by-step guidance to start meditating on God’s Word:

Now that we have a basic understanding of Christian meditation, let’s consider the basics of mindfulness meditation before comparing the two.

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness meditation is an exercise for your mind that helps you become more aware of your experiences in the present moment. The purpose is to practice paying attention to one thing at a time, in order to be more intentionally focused on the present moment in your daily life. 

Mindfulness meditation is done by simply focusing your attention on one thing in your current, sensory experience. The object of focus can be your breathing, your body, the sounds you can hear, the things you can see, or anything else you can sense. While you are practicing paying attention to, say, your breath, you will notice that your mind wanders. This is normal and expected, and when it happens, you simply bring your focus back to your breath.

Mindfulness: Non-Judgmental Awareness

So, a key component of mindfulness meditation is noticing our wandering thoughts. We should not berate ourselves for having minds that think—that’s what our minds are supposed to do! Instead, we can have a gentle, non-judging attitude towards ourselves and our wandering minds. During meditation, you simply notice your mind has drifted off, and then, with grace and kindness towards yourself, bring your attention back to your object of focus. (The non-judgmental aspect of mindfulness is also called self-compassion.)

The more you practice mindfulness meditation, the more you can take this non-judgmental, present-moment awareness into your daily life. It’s like a workout for your mind. When you exercise your body, you build up new strength that you can use in your everyday life. In the same way, when you exercise your attention, you grow better at being aware of the present moment in your daily life.

Christians should feel comfortable practicing basic mindfulness meditation, because it is backed by research and is essentially non-spiritual. The purpose of mindfulness meditation is simply to cultivate the habit of paying attention in the present moment, with an attitude of grace towards yourself.

Read More: What is Mindfulness?

Comparing Christian Meditation vs. Mindfulness Meditation

To summarize, here are some similarities and differences between Christian meditation and mindfulness meditation, with aspects that are unique to each and what they have in common.

To learn more about mindfulness from a Christian point of view, I recommend the books The Mindful Christian by Irene Kraegel and Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality by Tim Stead.

How Mindfulness Supports Christian Meditation

Mindfulness works hand-in-hand with Christian meditation. Mindfulness can help Christians in several ways, for example: to become aware of God’s presence with us, to give ourselves the same grace that God gives us, and to renew our minds by believing biblical truth.

Let me illustrate with a personal example. One day I was feeling anxious and worried, and I started judging myself for the way I felt. But then, these words rang in my head: “Jesus doesn’t condemn me.” As soon as I had the thought, I realized it was true. Jesus wasn’t pointing an accusing finger at me and telling me to stop feeling anxious. Instead, He was with me, accepting how I felt, and comforting me in it.

I had recently been thinking about one of my favorite Bible verses: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Because I had been meditating on this biblical truth, it came to mind when I needed it.

Christian Meditation to Know, Mindfulness to Notice

That story illustrates one way that Christian meditation and mindfulness can work together. We first need to actually read the Bible to know what it says and what God thinks about us. Christian meditation helps us fill our minds with the truth as we reflect on and talk to God about His Word. When we meditate on Scripture, we solidify biblical truths in our minds so that we can remember them later.

Then, mindfulness meditation helps us cultivate the habit of becoming aware of our thoughts in the present moment. Mindfulness makes it easier to notice and “catch ourselves” in the middle of a negative or irrational thought. Then, because we have God’s Word on our minds, we are able to replace the negative thought with a biblical truth. We can remind ourselves of God’s love, grace, and goodness, or other truths that we need to remember in that moment.

Read More: 30 Biblical Affirmations to Calm Anxiety and Fear

Christian Meditation Enriched by Mindful Awareness

Mindfulness also helps us to stay focused during Christian meditation, prayer, and Bible reading. Practicing mindful awareness, through meditation, can train your brain to pay attention to whatever you’re doing in the present moment. This includes having more awareness and more focus when you’re meditating on God’s Word.

But even when our minds wander during our time with God, mindfulness lets us have a non-judgmental, non-condemning attitude towards ourselves. God doesn’t condemn us for having minds that think, so we shouldn’t either. That’s how God created our minds to work, after all! 

It’s almost inevitable that our minds will think about other things during our Bible reading or meditation time. Mindfulness reminds us to be gentle and kind with ourselves when we bring our focus and attention back to God’s Word. This non-judgmental awareness helps us to give ourselves the same grace that God gives us.

5 Ways to Use Christian Meditation and Mindfulness Meditation Together

There are many ways that mindfulness and Christian meditation support each other. Feel free to practice each type of meditation on its own, but in addition, here are 5 techniques to practice Christian meditation and mindfulness in combination. This is not an exhaustive list, as I’m sure you could find many more ways to bring them together. Try experimenting with these 5 methods to see which ones most help you to have a mindful awareness of God.

1. Mindfulness Meditation to Prepare for Bible Reading

Try practicing mindfulness meditation for 5 or 10 minutes before you start reading your Bible. During this time you can practice focusing on your breath, doing a body scan, or listening to the sounds around you—any mindfulness exercise that grounds your attention in the present moment. 

Doing this before your Bible reading or meditation can help you prepare your mind to be focused on and receptive to God’s Word. When you practice paying attention to the present moment, you calm your mind and come into a quiet, still awareness. This will help you stay focused on Scripture and give it your undivided attention when you turn to it.

For this insight, I’m indebted to Tim Stead, author of Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality: Making Space for God.

2. Christian Meditation Followed by Mindful Awareness

After you meditate on Scripture, try using mindful awareness to just rest and be still before you get up and go on with your day. Simply let your attention rest on your experience in the present moment. Don’t try to focus on any one thing like your breath. Just let your mind be aware. 

During this time, you might remember what you learned during your Bible meditation or prayer time. You might feel God’s presence with you. You might notice something the Holy Spirit wants to teach you. Simply be open, be still, and let God move in this time of mindful awareness.

3. Mindfulness Meditation to Become Aware of Thoughts

Sometimes it’s hard to actually be aware of the busy thoughts that race through your mind throughout the day. You don’t stop to consider them, because your mind is running on autopilot. Mindfulness meditation can help you notice your thoughts.

Meditate by letting your attention rest on the present moment, and then just notice the thoughts that your mind wanders off to. Don’t judge yourself for the thoughts you have. Remember that your thoughts aren’t always true, and they don’t define you.

Then, notice if any of your thoughts are overly negative or irrational. Ask yourself, what does the Bible have to say about this? This is why previous Bible reading and meditation are important. When you know what God thinks about you, then you can replace your negative thought with a biblical truth. For example, replace the thought “I’m a failure” with the truth, “God loves me and isn’t disappointed in me!” Consider this one way to “take every thought captive” and “renew your mind” with God’s Word (see 2 Cor. 10:5 and Romans 12:2).

4. Using Christian Meditation to Practice Mindful Awareness

This is one way to merge together Christian meditation and mindfulness meditation. Try meditating on a Bible verse and bringing your focus and attention to the words. Any time you notice your mind wandering, gently bring your attention back to the Scripture.

In this way, you are focusing your mindfulness meditation on the Bible passage, instead of on the breath or the body. It serves the same function of helping you notice when your thoughts have strayed, and bringing your attention back non-judgmentally. Plus, when you meditate on Scripture you are actually learning what God’s Word says and letting it transform you.

5. Mindfully Meditating on God’s Presence

Mindfulness trains you to be more present in the present moment. In mindfulness meditation, you can also choose to meditate on God’s presence with you in the present moment. Simply focus on God’s presence with you through the Holy Spirit inside of you. Any time your mind wanders off, gently bring it back to His presence.

This is very similar to contemplative prayer, a form of Christian meditation where you just rest in God’s presence. You don’t need to make an effort. Just set your attention on God, and let Him take it from there. This is a powerful way to “be still and know” that He is God (Psalm 46:10), and a powerful way to experience God’s love and grace towards you in this present moment. Just remain open to anything that God speaks to your heart and mind, and let Him love you!

Learn More About Christian Mindfulness

I hope this article has helped you understand the similarities and differences between Christian meditation and mindfulness meditation, and how they can both help us to calm our minds and be more aware of God. If you’d like to learn more about Christian mindfulness, check out these articles next:

• 7 Christian Mindfulness Exercises to See God in Daily Life
• 65 Bible Verses That Show Mindfulness Was God’s Idea
• The Top 5 Free Apps for Christian Mindfulness Meditation

And don’t miss the Christian Mindfulness Resources page for recommended books, courses, and guided meditations to learn more.

Do you still have questions about how Christian meditation and mindfulness work together? Let me know in the comments below!

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