I  am surprised not more Christians memorize Scripture—this is one of the best and most practical ways to grow spiritually. Did you know there is a tremendous benefit for your spiritual life in developing this discipline? I would invite all who read this to move past the excuses (which I know quite well and have unfortunately fallen to) and consider engaging with the Word of God through an exciting, beneficial, growth-oriented activity.

So, what are the practical benefits of memorizing Scripture? Glad you asked; here are some to consider:

• The process of memorizing fills your idle times with uplifting thoughts on matters of eternal value. Think of all the self-talk that goes on inside your cranial cavity. A review of a verse written out on a 3×5 card or set as the wallpaper on your computer screen or smartphone helps you dwell on:

… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise … (Phil. 4:8)

• Rolling a verse repeatedly in your mind imprints it into your grey matter and on your spirit. King David wrote, “Your word I have treasured in my heart …” (Psalm 119:11a). That means he “stored” it up to become part of His spiritual DNA, to become increasingly identified with the ways of God, the divine author of the words of Scripture.
• You will be surprised how often the verse you are memorizing will come to mind during your day, relevant to events and conversations happening around you.
• The discipline of pulling out the verse card when waiting in a line at the store or at a stop light, lying in bed at night or in the morning before the alarm goes off, will set the tone of discipline in other areas of your life. Paste it over the bathroom sink, on the wall beside the toilet, on your car’s dashboard, or write it out in your daytimer. Set it on your smartphone to send you a regular text or email with the verse emblazoned in an attention-getting way. Find a way to bring it to your attention throughout the day.
• Over time, the passages you have memorized will be readily available for you to share with others in their time of need. I remember one fellow who memorized verses from Proverbs and would quote them often in the normal course of conversation. Imagine having the wisdom of Solomon imprinted on your conscious mind!
• Memorizing Scripture will help you resist temptation. The same King David went on to say, “Your word I have treasured in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
• Reading a verse over and over and then repeatedly trying to recite it without looking at it will surprise you with insights into the verse. Your mistakes in repeating it by memory will highlight the words you missed or substituted with other wording that changes the meaning. The process of repetition is like a cow chewing its cud, getting the most out of chewing it over and over. You will notice things, specific wording arrangements, and nuances not seen before. The verse will come alive. You will begin to recognize applications that make sense.
• Three mental crowbars in the form of questions will help you mentally pry open the passage’s meaning: what is this saying about God, what is it saying about us humans (believers or unbelievers), and what is it saying about the relationship between God and us?
• Six more helping crowbars will further elucidate the verse: who is talking in the verse, what is being talked about, when and where is the action taking place (that is, what is the context for the verse), why is something happening or being talked about, how should we act as a result of knowing this verse.

May the Lord stimulate you to consider memorization as a means to meditating on God’s word as a key part of your spiritual growth.