The Lost Art Of Pondering

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

Unlike Mary, we don’t tend to ponder too much nowadays. The birth of social-media has created an environment in which our every thought has become fodder for the next “post.” Now don’t get me wrong, I think we should share what God shares with us with others. But I can’t help but feel like we’ve lost something. I have found that often, instead of enjoying the moment, my thoughts immediately go to, “I need to post this.” Rather than ponder, appreciate and bask in the wonder of the reality that God is sharing his heart with me, I’m off to the races. And something has gotten lost in the transaction. Maybe it’s just me that feels like this, but I doubt it.

I don’t think that our desire to share is wrong in and of itself, but I do think that sometimes our motives are a little askew. Instead of abiding in that glorious moment of divine encounter, our need for validation and acceptance often drives us to seek it from one another. So, we forfeit the glory of pondering and wondering with Jesus for the quick fix of a few “likes” and a couple of “shares.” What would we gain if we slowed down and took a moment to simply ponder?

Our lack of pondering also affects our relationships with each other. We don’t take the time to peruse each other’s social-media offerings and consider the individual through the context of the thoughts he or she has shared over time. More often than not, we make up our minds about someone based on a few posts, often taken out of context. (Hey, we could apply this to biblical interpretation too, huh?) This often leads to argument and misunderstanding that could have been avoided. Let me ask you, is there anyone you dislike on social-media, “friends of friends,” people you don’t even know? Maybe they should be befriended and their whole “body of work” considered with some thoughtful pondering. Who knows, there may be common ground.

Yeah, pondering is becoming a lost art. Perhaps every thought, every song, every moment is not meant to be shared, but rather savored and enjoyed like a whisper between two lovers. I’m convinced that taking the time to ponder will enhance our relationship with God and each other. It’s something to think about. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to post this.