“I have stored up your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11, ESV)
I sincerely hope that this verse is familiar to you. It was the verse that launched our Scripture memorization journey at the beginning of 2025.
It was also the very first verse I was ever challenged to memorize when I began a devotional called Survival Kit for New Believers by Ralph Neighbors in the summer of 1989. That single verse has stayed with me for decades. It has helped shape me, encouraged me, and–by God’s grace–protected me.
Psalm 119:11 is often used as the primary motivation for memorizing Scripture, and rightly so: God’s Word helps guard us against sin. But if that is the only benefit we see, we are missing just how powerful Scripture memory truly is. Memorizing God’s Word also fuels spiritual growth, strengthens our faith, renews our minds, provides wisdom for daily decisions, helps us resist temptation, brings comfort in trials, enriches our prayer lives, equips us for spiritual battle, and sharpens our witness to others. And honestly, that’s just the beginning.
When we memorize Scripture, we are taking the living Word of God–an incredible gift in itself–and committing it to memory, engraving it on our hearts, and placing it into the hands of the Holy Spirit to use within us for the days ahead.
I also firmly believe that when God commands us to hide His Word in our hearts, He supplies the ability to do it. Even if you feel you don’t have a strong memory, there is a supernatural work that happens when we consistently meditate on God’s Word. He meets us in the process.
If you’ve never memorized Scripture before, here are a few simple ways to get started:
First, meditate through repetition.
To meditate simply means to “chew on” something over time. You won’t memorize a verse by glancing at it a few times. Read it in the morning. Revisit it at lunch. Reflect on it in the evening. Let it echo through your day until it becomes part of you.
Second, find a method that fits you.
I’ve always been an index-card person–reference on one side, verse on the other. Others prefer using the Notes app on their phone or a flash-card app. There’s no single “right” way. Use what works for you and be consistent.
Third, don’t do it alone; use the buddy system.
Christian growth is never meant to be a solo adventure. Commit to memorizing with someone else. Quiz each other, encourage one another, and celebrate progress together. Accountability makes the journey both joyful and enduring.
There are countless other ways to strengthen your memorization habits, but whatever you do, don’t miss this opportunity. Last year was meaningful, but the year ahead is even more important. Each month we will add another verse, building a growing treasury of God’s Word together. You may be amazed at what God does through a heart filled with His Word.
Be sure to follow along in the reading plan, especially through the app, which will remind you each week of the verse we are memorizing together. May God richly bless you, and may we move toward a strong 2026 with deep gratitude for a wonderful 2025.