How to really memorize Scripture

Memorizing Scripture has been life-changing for me.  My walk with Him deepened, my love for Him grew, my worries subsided as I exchanged my thoughts for His thoughts.  But it took awhile before I could get into a good rhythm and really being able to remember the old ones, while still learning new ones.  I've tried so many techniques and some haven't worked at all, and some have worked for a short time but not in the long run.  So today I'm sharing with you 5 tips for how I have logistically made memorizing Scripture work in my life.

1.)  Write it.  Write it.  Write it, again. 

My first step to memorizing a new scripture is always the same-write the verse on one side of an index card and the reference on the other side.  After that it varies, sometimes I will just take that index card with me.  Other times I write it on a post-it note and stick it around the house, my favorite place being the bathroom mirror so while I'm putting on make up or brushing my teeth I can work on it.  If I have the time I also like to take my spiral notebook and fill a whole page with the scripture, just writing it over and over again until I get to the bottom of the page.

2.)  First letter only.

The second thing I do is try writing out the scripture by using the first letter of each word only.  For example John 3:16-For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  This scripture would look like this- F G S L T W T H G H O A O S, T W B I H S N P B H E L.  

I know it sounds crazy, and when the sweet lady I was in Bible study with taught it to me I thought she was kinda crazy too.  But I gave it a try one day and was shocked how well it worked and how much quicker I was able to memorize the Scripture.  I can't explain this one, just tell you that it works.

3.)  Take a picture.

If you have a smart phone, or any phone that takes viewable pictures, I love this method.  Simply take a picture of the reference side of the index card, then flip it over and take a picture of the verse side.  This allows me to work on my scripture memorization anywhere without taking all my cards with me.  I have a folder on my phone titled Scripture Memory and whenever I'm in traffic or waiting for something in the parking lot I can just go to that folder and flip through, given the reference first and then the verse.  

4.)  Speak it.

Proverbs 12:18 tells us our tongue can literally be used for healing, that's powerful.  So powerful that it leads me to believe that we have incredible power with our words and there is just something about opening your mouth and SPEAKING the Word.  Not only does this help me memorize it better, but it also invites the power of that Scripture into my day.  Funny story but a few weeks ago I was in a rough mood, not for any specific reason, just kinda down and grouchy.  When the Mr. noticed it he asked me if I was ok and then went into my Bible study bag and grabbed the cards and started quizzing me on them.  We both laughed but my mood instantly lifted as he got me speaking the Word.  

5.)  Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner it.
It took a really hard, dark season of my life to realize that I was eating food 3 times a day (or more) but only feeding off the Living Word once a day at best.  It seemed backwards and twisted to me.  When I began to pursue Him and His Word more often throughout the day, the light began to turn on for me.  Somedays I have time to sit down and read a chapter and pray for 5 minutes, but sometimes I don't.  At the very least though I've learned to take off the top 4-5 scripture cards and review them, then put them at the back of the stack.  It takes me about 3 minutes, but at the end of the day I've gone over about 15 scriptures in about 10 minutes of the entire day.  Forgetting the Scriptures I had already memorized had been a struggle that was so frustrating to me that it almost made me quit even trying.  If this is you, do not let the enemy trick you into that.  There are ways to remember them-but even if all you can remember is the 1 current verse you're working on, that's so much better than nothing.  Keep going!!

Linked with:  Mommy Moments, Making your Home Sing, Hearts for Home