Memorizing is hard. That’s why most people don’t do it or give up somewhere toward the very beginning of it all. There’s no denying that it is WORK and mental acrobatics are challenging without adding the complications of sleepless nights, busy schedules, and the like. But that’s just life, and this is just how it is.

We either we learn to memorize in all of life’s beautiful chaos or we won’t memorize at all.

We either take hold of disciplines of grace or we let them slip away month after month until we’ve spent a whole year(s) ignoring a grace, the grace in memorizing living Words. I don’t want to spend time like that. I want to hold onto life with both hands and live it as fully as possible. Abundance of life is a gift from God and we won’t experience it if we fail to experience Him. He has revealed Himself in nature, in redeemed hearts, and wildly, beautifully, brilliantly, ever so creatively in His Holy Word. There is nothing like it.

I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. Psalm 138:2

But memorizing is HARD, and sometimes in the middle of it or even in the beginning, it can feel like everything you’re reading repeatedly, rehearsing continually, and praying through is running straight through and right out of your mind. The very undertaking might cause you to feel out of your mind (smile), but it is the very source…the very truth that actually frees you and allows you to have a mind that can think God’s own thoughts. It is a Word that can be trusted fully, a Word flawlessly revealed by God. If anything is worth the work, this is. This is better than physical training which admittedly is of some value. This is better than tasty food. This is better than the perfect outfit. This is better than material possessions. This is the Word of God and when it’s sown deep the will of God seeps out into your life. Sometimes you hardly perceive it, but it is happening. Living Words taking up residence in weak hearts strengthen and beautify the heart.

When it feels hard to memorize here’s what I do. I stop, and I start just reading the passage again. Start trying to just get familiar with the words, allow those words to wash over you again, to inspire you again.

Inspired Words should inspire lives.

It is not a dead Word we’re reading; these Words are active. We’re memorizing, because our hope is that the Word would be active in us. The Word that activated us and brought us to life ought to make us active and all about the work of God. When memorizing Scripture gets difficult and complicated, you just go back to the basics. You read again, you write it out more, you pray through it sincerely, you study it deeply, because this is how you memorize anything, with practice. And in time it will come. It will. And when the goal is more of Jesus anyway, even if you’re a terrible memorizer, like really are, you will have lost nothing, but will have gained much.

It might take a week or two ore more to get familiar with your passage again and that is ok. We’re not racing through the Word like we do through our to-do-list. This isn’t just something to get done. It’s something to get in…to get in so deep into your heart that it’s truths are what come spilling out when we’re tested and tried. It is ok when life wells up with all manner of trial (and it will) to pause and to re-read and re-think why we are doing this in the first place.

When you’re stuck you stop and begin again. This isn’t a knowledge contest…this isn’t a comparison game…this isn’t trying to be super Christian…. This is about and has only ever been about loving, knowing, enjoying JESUS more, more, and more. Yes. When you’re stuck. Smile and rejoice, because you get to stay with Him a while right where you are.

Maybe He’s trying to teach you something in the memorizing that you would miss it if you got it quickly and could then just speed along. Maybe He is slowing us down on purpose, so we can stay just right there with Him for a while.

When Jesus is the object of greatest desire, hurry is not required. Wait for the manifestation of His perfect presence…a full understanding and knowledge of the Word…wherever you are in the Word and learn from Him. The timeless one giving us ample time to know Him. Richest of spoils.

Nothing exceptional ever came easy.