This is a biblically guided meditation and relaxation to use any time you need to relieve stress and tension in your body and refocus and rest into God’s presence and promises. Important: If your podcast app is set to skip silent sections of the podcast, disable that now. We want to use silence as part of our meditation. Meditation is a time to listen and to speak to your whole person, including your body. Psalm 42:5 NIV “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Biblically guided Imagination / meditation speaks God’s truth and implications to our “soul” — to our whole self – body and mind and spirit. The psalmist was aware his “soul” was downcast and disturbed within him because he listened to his body, mind, spirit. Then his meditation was to speak the realities of God’s presence and promise to his “soul.” So biblically guided meditation focuses on the inseparable connection between our body, mind, and spirit. It helps you experience your connection with God even at the bodily/cellular level. This is a time for you to meditate and take in the comforting, peace-giving presence of the I AM. There'll be other times to do things. To fix things. Think about things. To work on things. To organize things. To talk to people. Plan things. You can do all that later. But for now put all that aside and focus all your thoughts on God being present with you 100% — focused on you 100% — without being any less present and any less focused anywhere else. He is the Giver of your life. The Source of comfort and peace. Shalom. To begin… Lie flat on your back or sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Try to relax your body by feeling the weight of every part of your body relaxing like falling water and being supported completely by whatever surface you’re on. Allow yourself to notice and feel how your body is supported. How you are being held from underneath. Your whole body is able to let itself be held. Begin to take in deep, slow breaths and with each exhale relax the muscles in your body a little bit more. Each slow, deep breath. Jesus says in John 14:27… “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. …Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Philippians 4:5-7 NIV “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Say aloud to yourself… “Because I have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. I am not in danger. I am in the loving care of God my Father.” Just as the author of Psalm 42 spoke to himself in the second person, speak aloud to yourself beginning with saying your name… For example, I would say, “Dave, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” Let’s say that again…Beginning with your name… “____, because you have Jesus, the things that matter most are not threatened. You are secure. You are not in danger. You are in the loving care of God your Father.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.