Pondering: Giving the Lord Your Full Attention

By Andrew Call

Is pondering hard for you? Here are some tips to help you make the most of it and apply it in your spiritual pursuits.

How many times have you sat in your room—alone, in silence, without any distractions—and just thought?

Many people, especially prophets, ponder a lot! There are so many examples of pondering in the scriptures:

Nephi did it when he wanted to understand his father’s vision of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 11:1).

Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) did it when he received revelation about the spirit world (see Doctrine and Covenants 138:1–2).

Jesus Christ invited the Nephites to do it after He spoke to them (see 3 Nephi 17:3).

And countless other individuals in both the scriptures and the latter days practice some form of thinking or reflecting in isolation (see Luke 2:19; 2 Nephi 4:15; Helaman 10:2; Moroni 10:3; Joseph Smith—History 1:47). And you know what? In each of these situations, it led to revelation!

So what makes pondering so special? Isn’t it just thinking?

What Is Pondering?

Let’s go over the definition together, because pondering isn’t really just thinking. It means “to meditate and think deeply, often upon the scriptures or other things of God. When combined with prayer, pondering the things of God may bring revelation and understanding.”¹

Two things stand out to me in this definition. First off, pondering is deeper than regular thought and often includes prayer. It requires more focus and effort. It is active, not passive, thought. For me, it always helps to be alone in silence when I’m pondering, but the amazing thing about it is that when you focus, you can do it anywhere—such as while gardening or exercising.

Second, it is thinking deeply about “the scriptures or other things of God.” This could be thinking about the doctrines of the gospel and asking the Lord how to apply them in our individual lives. It could also mean thinking about many more things like our education, careers, interests, and so on if we view them with an eternal perspective.

Pondering and Personal Revelation

We are encouraged to ponder because it is a key to receiving revelation—Heavenly Father often speaks to us through our thoughts (see Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3; 9:8–9).

But while pondering may be simple, that doesn’t necessarily make it easy. It can be especially hard to discern His voice when we are constantly distracted by the loudness of the world. So how can we think about the things of God in a way that will inspire personal revelation, as it did for many people we read about in the scriptures?

Well, there are a few things we can do. Elder Scott D. Whiting of the Seventy offered four steps to ponder effectively:

Prepare a quiet place free from distractions.
Read scriptures with the desire to learn from them, rather than to just finish, by thinking deeply about what we are reading.
Reflect upon what we have read and think about it again and again.
Engage our minds in an active process.²

He also taught:

“Learning to ponder requires practice and through practice, you can come to learn of the power that comes from pondering. …

“… Clearly, the power that comes from pondering is the power to receive revelation.”³

Still, as young adults, we may find it difficult at times to see how to fit pondering into our daily lives. But it’s all about giving ourselves the time and space to do it. A little bit more time and effort in your study can make all the difference.

Making Time for Pondering

Allow me to set two scenes that illustrate the two ways my scripture study usually goes:

I arrive at the end of the day, exhausted from school, work, and social activities. As I collapse into bed, I realize I haven’t done my scripture study that day. I open up the Gospel Library on my phone, read five verses of scripture, and then go to sleep without any thought for what I read.
I schedule out time for studying the scriptures—the earlier in the day the better. I begin with a simple prayer, asking for the Spirit and mental clarity. I then read the scriptures with an open journal beside me. As I read, I write down thoughts and impressions I receive. It’s a short study, but I’m actively thinking about how the verses apply to my life, and I reflect on them throughout the day.

See the difference? I’m always left feeling like I’m missing something in the first scenario, whereas I feel like I’m actually searching, communicating, and receiving revelation from God in the second scenario. The difference requires a little more time and effort. But whenever I allow myself time to ponder, I realize that daily personal revelation is so possible and so near.

Just a few months ago, I graduated from college. The day I put on the cap and gown, I felt excited, happy, grateful, and so incredibly nervous. I remember feeling confused and fearful of what lay ahead in my future. It wasn’t until a few weeks later when I was listening to a conference talk and thinking about what the speaker was saying that I felt the power of the Spirit. It was an overwhelming feeling of comfort and direction. I immediately wrote down in my journal the thoughts that were coming to me, and now I look to those words whenever I feel doubt. That journal entry has become a source of comfort for me because it feels as if it came straight from God.

This story brings up another important principle: pondering time isn’t limited to your scripture study time. Imagine if you gave yourself time to sit in your room and think after praying. Imagine if you fully immersed yourself in thoughts about the Savior during the sacrament. Imagine if you took advantage of more quiet moments in your life—maybe on your commute to school or work. Or perhaps while you’re on a walk. The Lord’s guidance is available not just in our morning prayers or nightly scripture studies—it is available throughout each day.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–94) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions.”⁴

Practice Pondering

Remember the words of Elder Whiting: “Learning to ponder requires practice.” This is a process that takes time! But the revelation and rewards that come from pondering are well worth the effort. If you are struggling to ponder or can’t seem to get the answer you desire, ask yourself these questions:

Am I really allowing the words of the Lord to sink deep into my heart? (see Enos 1:3).
How often do I seek quiet time for Him to speak to me?
In what ways has He spoken to me in the past?
What are some other ways He could be trying to speak to me?
How can I show the Savior that I desire to hear His voice?

If the heavens seem closed right now, keep trying. He will never give up on you, so you shouldn’t give up on Him. God is always there, always patient, and always ready to answer when we are ready to hear Him. As President Russell M. Nelson said: “Does God really want to speak to you? Yes!”⁵

So the next time you study the scriptures, make it a little more intentional. Give yourself enough time. Pull out your journal. Think deeply about how the doctrine you’re studying applies to your life, your trials, and your relationships—and be sure to reflect on these thoughts throughout the day. Practice pondering. Heavenly Father wants to lead and guide us through revelation—we simply need to give Him our full attention.