Becoming Like Jesus: Scripture MemorizationSample

Internalizing Truth

This journey of becoming like Jesus for the sake of others is just that—a journey. It’s a process we keep engaging with. A Person we keep walking with. And as we do, we discover more of who He is and more of who we are because of Him. And when we get to know the One who is Truth, we begin to see ourselves more truly. When we learn to see ourselves truly, we start to figure out, in day-to-day life, what it looks like to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength and love others the same way Jesus has loved us.

This all starts with being with Jesus—the One who is true and shows us how to see ourselves truly.

Being with Jesus, creating space to experience the presence of God, is a practice called silence and solitude. It takes intentionality to carve out space and form this habit. In the same way, it takes intentionality to allow the truth of God’s Word to work Itself deep into our hearts so that it will actually produce a change in our lives.

Throughout this Plan, we are going to explore what it looks like and why it matters to internalize truth. We are going to let God’s Word do what it’s meant to: transform us from the inside out.

And there’s no better place to start than with the foundation, the core of what we believe about ourselves, and invite God into the vulnerable places so He can bring the healing and hope that we need.

Here we go.

Pray…

Father in heaven, thank you for sending Jesus. Jesus, thank you for showing us God’s grace and truth in a personal way. Holy Spirit, work in my heart today to help me live more truly and freely under the grace of Jesus. I trust you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Read…

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

Consider…

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is like a gatorade bath of reminders about who we are because of Jesus. He spends three chapters just soaking his readers from head to toe with truth about their new identity and purpose.

Read the verses above a few more times. Write down things that these Scriptures are saying are true about you.

What would change in your life if you believed those things? That you are a sinner saved by grace, God’s masterpiece, a new creation, a person made for a good reason and not an accident. A recipient of the favor of God. Rescued from sin and saved from the powerful chords of death by Someone even more powerful and also infinitely more loving. This is who you are. You are God’s masterpiece.

Practice…

Let this truth work itself deep into your soul by starting to memorize the verses you just read. Committing something to memory is just the practical way of saying internalize it. Tuck that truth into your back pocket so that when you need to be reminded in a low moment of who you really are, it’s right there waiting for you.

There are lots of ways to commit something to memory. Studying yourself and how you learn best will be really helpful in this process. For starters, today, grab a notecard or journal and simply write out Ephesians 2:8-10 by hand. This method will engage you physically as you write and visually when you see the words on the page. Try writing with a different colored pen than your other notes, so that it stands out even more!

Listen…

Set a timer for five minutes.

Create space in your mind and heart to hear from God. Lead into your listening by praying the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13 NLT

Ask God to speak to you.

When you get distracted, come back to Jesus by reading the verses you just wrote down. Say them out loud. Focus on each line and let the truth you are learning redirect your thoughts.