Christian Evening Meditation To Slow Down & Check In Psalm 4

This evening meditation includes guided breathing, body connection, and a "check-in" with what is happening inside to end the day. The track centers on Psalm 4:8 and closes with a prayer. While designed for the evening, this track can be used at any time to press the pause button and connect with the different emotions, thoughts, and parts of us that we hold internally.

Please note, that this track, nor any other by this author, is intended to be a substitute for professional mental health services.

Transcript

I invite you to find a comfortable place to sit down for this evening meditation,

Letting your body sink heavily wherever you might be sitting or laying down,

Visually imagining the weight of your body melting with every exhale.

Breathing in,

Breathing out,

Melting in a little bit more and a little bit more.

As you inhale,

I invite you to tense muscles.

You could do this in your hands,

Your feet,

Any of your limbs or your whole body.

As you exhale,

Let all of those muscles release and relax.

You can repeat this for several breaths,

Letting your body continue to melt a little bit more with each exhale and each time that you relax all of those muscles.

And as you continue those deep breaths,

I invite you to check in with what's happening inside of you right now.

Consider what kind of toll has this day taken on you?

What are the things from this day that caused stress?

What are the things not only from this day but from previous days that this day added to that have caused stress?

And how has that stress taken a toll on you?

You can think of this in terms of the toll it's taken on your body,

The toll it's taken on your strength,

The toll it's taken on your hope.

And before we read from Psalm 4,

I invite you to imagine setting aside any of these things that have caused stress or taken a toll on you that might be coming to mind.

So when you think about the toll that today took on you and you think about what caused that,

You can imagine placing those things aside.

Some people like to imagine putting things like this into a jar or a storage container.

Some people like to imagine putting things like this into a cabinet,

A suitcase,

A secure bunker,

Whatever kind of container feels secure to you that you could tuck these things away knowing you can go back to them tomorrow or whenever you need to.

But right now as you go to sleep,

You get to set them aside.

And if you need any more time to set those things aside,

You can pause this audio.

I'm going to read from Psalm 4 verse 8 from the NET.

As I read,

I invite you to let these words wash over you,

Helping your body continue to melt just a little bit more and a little bit more each time that I read the verse.

Psalm 4 verse 8.

I will lie down and sleep peacefully for you,

Lord,

Make me safe and secure.

If you haven't already,

I invite you to add an audible sigh to your exhales,

Inhaling these words as I read them.

I will lie down and sleep peacefully for you,

Lord,

Make me safe and secure.

As I read this again,

You can be curious to notice how different parts of you receive these words,

What kind of imagery comes to mind with these words.

Again,

This is Psalm 4 verse 8.

I will lie down and sleep peacefully for you,

Lord,

Make me safe and secure.

One last time,

Inviting all parts of you into rest.

I will lie down and sleep peacefully for you,

Lord,

Make me safe and secure.

I invite you to continue those deep breaths as I close us with a prayer.

Lord God,

I thank you for this day,

And I thank you that it is not our job to hold things together at the end of the day,

Or the beginning of the day,

Or any other part of the day.

Please help us to release our grasp on the things that we try to hold together.

Help us delight in and savor our place,

Not as you,

Not as God,

But as one created by you.

Help us delight in knowing that you are big,

And we are small,

And that you make us safe and secure.

Amen.