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Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21, NASB).
I love to disciple others, and a significant aspect of my discipleship involves encouraging those I’m discipling to memorize Scripture.
Often, I hear this push-back, “It’s difficult for me to memorize.”
Before I write anything else, please repeat over and over a few times, “Yes, I can memorize. Yes, I can memorize. Yes, I can memorize.”
The first principle of memorization is believing that you can.
In a recent study, 100 participants between the ages of 60 and 82 had their brains scanned while memorizing. The parts of their brain that facilitated memory in most of these older individuals indicated only slightly diminished function compared to scans of younger individuals.
However, other studies show that while disease and dementia do play a role, those with memory issues can regain function by exercising the parts of the brain that allow memorization.
Yes, the motto is true, “Use or lose it.”
So, I challenge you to start memorizing Scripture. There’s no better way to recover memory loss and to keep your brain memory function healthy.
Where do you start with memorizing Scripture?
We need to remember verses of Scripture that the Spirit places in our hearts. This allows the Spirit to place within our souls a preemptive guard against future challenges. Not only should we memorize verses to maintain brain function, but also to enable future spiritual victory.
During the next week, read Psalm 27, Psalm 103, Romans 8, Romans 12, and Philippians 4 a few times. While reading, listen to the Spirit indicate the verses that you should memorize.
Only pick 3 or 4 verses and then write them on a Post-it note and place them in your Bible. If you use a mobile app to read the Bible, put the notes in a place to be seen regularly. One person I discipled said, “Wow, I’ll stick these on the windshield of my car.”
At that moment, I almost encouraged him to get a different type of brain scan (other than memory), but instead, I just suggested that he use common sense!
Brain scan science has shown that by doing something repetitively, memory groves develop in the brain—and this happens no matter our age. What a blessing to have the following grooves in our brain:
I will seek your face, Lord (Psalm 27:8).
[God] satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle (Psalm 103:5).
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer (Romans 8:37).
By the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1).
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).
Now say again, “Yes, I can memorize!”