Savor | Bible Verses to Slow Down and Trust

Every January, we are inundated with messages of “new year, new you”—more hustle, faster results, and total self-reinvention, not to mention resolutions.

My chosen word for this year ( and last year) isn’t about running faster; it’s about stopping to notice. My word of the year is SAVOR.

In our modern culture, “savoring” usually implies indulgence—fancy food, long vacations, a luxury experience. But as I have prayed about this word and sat with Scripture, I’ve realized that, biblically, savoring is actually a profound act of spiritual defiance. It is choosing to trust God enough to slow down and notice His presence in the messy, quiet, daily moments. It’s choosing appreciation over appetite, and presence over productivity.

If you also feel the gentle tug to slow down and truly taste the life God has given you, I want to share the Bible verses that anchor my heart. These verses teach us that we are called to savor.

Part 1: Savoring God’s Presence (The Foundation)

Savoring life begins by savoring the Source of life. We often consume God’s Word like fast food—checking off a reading plan or listening to a podcast on 2x speed. These verses invite us to a feast, challenging us to move from intellectually knowing about God to personally experiencing Him.

Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

This is the quintessential “savoring” verse. The psalmist doesn’t ask us to look or think, but to taste. This is an experiential invitation. You can observe food from a distance, but you can’t know its true sweetness until you participate. I’m not just reading my Bible, but tasting its comfort and seeing its goodness at work in my own life.

Psalm 63:5 (NLT)

“You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.”

The message here is contentment. The word “savor” implies fully engaging your senses until you are satisfied. We live in a world that thrives on dissatisfying us, demanding “more, more, and more.” When I find myself scrambling for the next big thing, this verse will be my reset button. God already is the richest feast. When I savor Him, the hunger for other things begins to fade.

Part 2: Savoring the Gift of Today (The Present Moment)

The single biggest enemy of savoring is anxiety. Worry keeps our bodies in the present but our minds (and our phones) in a non-existent future. We spend today planning how we will enjoy tomorrow, and we miss both. To savor, we must reclaim the holiness of “now.”

Matthew 6:34 (CSB)

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Jesus wasn’t just offering psychological advice here; He was granting us permission to focus. To savor this day, we must actively drop the heavy baggage of tomorrow’s unknowns. Savoring means fully inhabiting the hour you are currently living.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 (NIV)

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”

This passage reminds us that savoring simple human acts—eating, drinking, finding satisfaction in our work—is actually a “gift of God.” It’s not trivial or selfish. When we stop to savor our morning coffee or the quiet commute, we are receiving a holy gift. I’ll be working on treating daily routines not as tasks to survive, but as gifts to unwrap.

Part 3: Savoring Through Stillness and Rest

To truly savor, we must decrease the velocity of our lives. You cannot appreciate the aroma of a flower if you are running past it at top speed. Savoring requires a deep, trust-filled quiet.

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

We usually quote this verse in crisis, but I’m applying it to my daily rhythm. Savoring means having the confidence to create pockets of stillness where God can be noticed. Savoring God is a posture of restful observation, not breathless activity. This year, “I don’t have time” is an invitation to put something down.

Living Out “Savor” This Year

A word of the year is only as powerful as the practices we put behind it. To make “savor” more than just a nice idea, I am committing to three small, daily disciplines based on these verses:

1. Breath Prayer (Stillness): I will use Psalm 46:10 as a pattern. When I feel overwhelmed, I will stop and simply inhale, saying, “Be still…” and exhale, saying, “…and know that I am God.”
2. Sensory Gratitude (Today): During dinner, I’ll list one beautiful thing I saw, heard, smelled, or tasted that day. This forces me to notice the gift of Ecclesiastes 3.
3. The Bible Feast (God’s Goodness): Instead of rushing my reading, I’ll meditate on it (ruminate—which is another word closely related to savoring!). I will ask, “How does this specific verse taste?” based on Psalm 34. (I now do my daily Scripture reading before bed so I can meditate and (savor) what I’ve read as I’m falling asleep).

More Verses To Reflect On

Psalm 119:103 – “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Jeremiah 31:25 – “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

I love seeing how God changes my perspective as I practice this word. To savor is to trust. I am letting go of any need to control and the “ya, but” “Let me help you” so that I can joyfully accept the provision He has given me right now.

I’m linking up this month with these AMAZING Blog Hop/Link-Up party hostesses!