I just did some research about memorizing scripture and text. It is strongly suggested to us that we commit generous quantities of scripture to memory. Jesus stood up to temptation via this when Satan was tempting him, see Luke 4. Also Ellen G.W. said this in the Review and Herald April 10 1888. She also wrote about a day any of us may encounter where we are put to trial in a court of law and questioned about our beliefs and why we believe them. In this position we will only have our memorized texts (Counsels on Sabbath School Work 40,41 [1900]) There are many more reasons to memorize Scriptures than this, but the best is the hinting, the urging, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. (Just for everyones information some of this writing is not mine. Some came from a how-to website.)
When you remember something, neurons fire signals down particular synapse pathways to other neurons which in turn fire signals to other neurons. The particular sequence represents a memory.
For example, consider remembering your cell number. Since this is a number you use on a regular basis it probably comes very easily to mind. When you try to recall the number some neurons fire of a signal down some synapses that carry a very strong signal to other neurons which do the same thing. The number comes with very little effort.
Now consider a number that you will have trouble remembering. Lets say your drivers license number. For most people an attempt to recall this number will cause neurons to fire down very weak synapses. If you are like me, the signal is so week that it will probably not create the necessary chain reaction to recall the number.
This is the crucial concept of any type of memorization. The act of reading something you want to memorize fires different connections than the act of recalling. This means that simply reading a particular piece of text over and over again is going to be the long road to memorization. You need to let your brain practice recalling the data so it can strengthen the same pathways that will fire when you need to remember the information later on.
Our goal is to create a method that will force our brain to practice recalling the scripture–even before we have it fully memorized. So first of all we need to get it into our mind so our brain has it–even if we can’t recall it. It is important when you first memorize text to give the process your full attention. Here are a few methods that will work:
1. Read through it aloud.
2. Copy the text by hand.
3. Read through the text and create a short outline.
4. Have someone else read it to you.
Now you want to impregnate the text with all of our sense memory while only ever recalling it. (only look at the real text the first few times to make sure your not getting anything wrong) It easiest for people to remember things that they experience so we simulate experiencing the text.
Visual, Draw the text. Make some very simple drawings that represent the sequence of thought in the texts. Almost like a storybook with no words. You can use words to clarify parts of the images, and use symbols like a heart for love, or a heart with sunbeams shining from it for God a cross for Jesus or salvation etc. You may find yourself making up symbols to represent complex things that occur quite often like a rectangle with a B on it to mean “bible” or “holy scriptures” or “text”.
Alternate visual, Live the text in your imagination. Be one of the characters, or place yourself into the meanings of the words so you can experience it, doing both visual techniques works best.
Translation: Or from mind to paper, expressing the text in different ways will also help plant the seed. Write the text a few times, some research suggests that using the color green for the first letter of each word can help plant the word sequence in your mind.
If you know multiple languages translate the text in them as well.
Listen: repeating the text aloud, or with an accent, then saying it in your mind along with all the sounds that would be taking place with the text in the visual exercise will help even more neurons to become involved in the memory.
Feel: use gestures, or charades to express the text, I would like to get some clay and sculpt the words or ideas across a table, spending the time with each word and feeling its shape can also connect more parts of your brain to the new memories.
If one of these methods works best for you to get the text well enough in your head that with effort you can recite it with no reference to the original that is good enough. You don’t need to do them all, all your doing is making the words attainable.
Repeat: Now as you go about the day set aside several minutes here and there to recall the text. It wont just flow from your mouth yet. You will remember the exercises you did for the text and find yourself recalling the words that way, this difficult time of first repeating is where your brain is doing most of its learning and memorizing. After rehearsing the text originally it is best to practice several times that day. The next day a few times. Then within a week, a month, and a few times a year. This will provide maintenance for the text which can eventually vanish if never used. Try to remember your last address. Then the one before that. If you had tried to maintain these addresses by periodically revisiting them they would still be clear.
