By Hannah S.When you think of journaling, you may think of writing class or a diary from your younger days. But as I have renewed this discipline in my life, I have found such joy in recording and reflecting on the way God is working in my life.
I can hear the groans as many of you think of journaling as one more item to add to an already busy to-do list. But let me assure you the spiritual discipline of journaling has made my time with the Lord more effective.
First let me clear up some of the misconceptions that I had about journaling. It is often referred to as a spiritual discipline and thus I struggled if I did not journal every day. The burden of adding this to my quiet time was too much for me to handle. I found myself wrongly feeling guilty if I wasn’t making an entry every day. I do think this is a spiritual discipline, but it is not on the level of prayer, reading Scripture, or meditating on God’s word. My journal has actually become a tool that has helped me with these other disciplines, but it is not something that I do every day. There have been seasons of life that my entries are very few. Yet I am so thankful for those entries that capture a snapshot of what the Lord was teaching me.
Now let me move to the benefits of keeping a spiritual journal:
1. Journaling helps me meditate on Scripture.
I began to journal as a way to meditate on Scripture. I had found myself reading Scripture in the morning, and then by early afternoon having a hard time recalling what I had read. So I began to do my Scripture reading with my pen in hand ready to record and reflect on passages from God’s word. I can’t tell you what joy this has brought to my spiritual life! Not only was I thinking deeply about the passages that I was recording but I was also applying them to my own life and circumstances. I was truly meditating on God’s Word as I would make an entry in my journal. Sometimes I would write the passage in my own words. At other times I would record questions that I had about a certain passage. Other times I would use the words of Scripture to cry out to the Lord. There is something about writing and mulling over a passage that helps me to slow down and absorb the truth.
2. Journaling helps with self evaluation.
I found that as I have journaled about events and happenings in my life that I have begun to see patterns of sin that reappear in certain situations. Not only has this helped me to have a plan of resistance in times that I am particularly vulnerable, but it often reveals the idol that is at the root of my sin. As I have expressed my feelings in writing, I can often see the error in my thinking and more clearly see what sins need to be “put off” in my life. When I have taken emotions and thought about what is causing me to feel a certain way, it has helped me to see the root of sin in my life. Journaling has caused me to delve deeply into what my emotions are revealing about my thinking.
3. Journaling helps me control my tongue.
I know that this may sound odd, but hang with me and I will try to explain. The way that I often process information is by talking. As I am talking through my thoughts, I can often see a clearer picture of what needs to be done or what my response should be to a specific situation. This is not how everyone is wired, but I have found true in my life the old saying, “thoughts disentangle themselves when passed through the lips and across the fingertips.” The trouble with processing information in such a manner is that it can often lead to gossip. As I am working through things by talking, I am bringing in someone who is not part of the problem or part of the solution. There are many things and struggles in our lives that do not need to be shared with other people. We need to take these struggles straight to the Lord and not bring others in on the situation. Being able to write about these issues in my life has made my journal a great sounding board. It is a place where I can express what I am really thinking and then discern what is true and what is not. These entries most often turn into prayers of confession and a cry to the Lord to change my heart. Let your journal be the place that you “disentangle your thoughts” and flee from the sin of gossip!
4. Journaling leaves a spiritual heritage.
One of my favorite books is called Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. One of the reasons that I like this book is because over the pages you see the ups and downs of the main character’s Christian life. It is refreshing to see her weaknesses as well as the victories in her life. As I reflected over the years of this lady’s life I could see progress that brought me encouragement. I pray that someday when one of my daughters or grand children pick up one of my journals that they might be encouraged to see the real struggle of a believer who was battling sin in everyday life. I pray that they will identify with my weaknesses and have hope that God does transform us into His image. At times when progress seems slow, it has been a joy to look back and see how the Lord has grown me in my thinking. A journal gives you a tangible way to see growth in your life.
5. Journaling is a great way to reflect on the goodness of God in my life.
Not only do I record my struggles in my journal but also the blessings from the Lord. Aren’t we all so quick to forget how the Lord has provided for us? We are just like the Israelites as they grumbled their way through the desert. They were caught up in the moment and forgot what great things the Lord had done for them. By recording and reviewing the details of blessings in my life, it has reminded me of God’s goodness and faithfulness in my life. Like the people of the Old Testament set up monuments to the Lord to remember God’s great work in their lives, let your journal be a monument to the way the Lord has provided and cared for you.
I pray that these few thoughts will give you a renewed passion for the discipline of journaling. There is no right or wrong way to journal – make it your own. It is a tool to be used to assist you in your Christian walk, and I pray that you will find joy as you reflect on the goodness of God to mold you into His image.
Click here for a list of journal prompts to help you get started.
