Write It Down: The Power of Journaling Your Journey

Has anyone ever kept a journal? Something that allows you to write down your life and the things that God shows you. So much of the time we go through life and God blesses us in so many ways that it is impossible to remember everything that he shows us. Our bodies are degrading on the daily. Even while we grow and learn and live and breath our bodies start to fail us. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and couldnt remember your life up until this point. You couldnt remember the places youd been what you did each day. Journaling gives you a point of reference to look back on about your life. It allows you to see where you were in your walk with Christ yesterday. life is a crazy adventure of highs and lows. Some weeks are better than others. We go through trials daily and we just cant remember everything.

Journaling allows you to write out your emotions, the way you feel, your daily life. It allows you to be able to think clearly about decisions that you may have to make. When you write out your day and look at some of the decisions you made you may find that you made some pretty dumb ones throughout the day. You may realize some ways that you sinned that you didnt think of at the time. Journaling as a Christian is a way to keep ourselves accountable. Its a tool that we have to combat ourselves and the things that we do. When you're honest with yourself and you write out the actions that you take out God will reveal things to you. He will call you out on your mess.

How many of you would say that writing out things for a test helps you study? When you write things out you are statistically more likely to remember or learn. When wetry to remember scripture journaling can help us. We can write out scripture to help write it in our heart. We can write out our prayers so that we can look back and see how God answers things in our lives. If you cant remember things that you're praying about how can you remember if they've been answered?

1. Reflect on Remembrance

Psalm 77:11–12 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

When you start journaling we are able to reflect on our past more effectively. Were able to take a look back on our past. God is at action in our lives. When we examine these verses that Asaph is dwelling on the things that God has done for him. Asaph is giving us an example of journaling and the purpose of it. It helps us to remember the deeds of the Lord. It allows us to think on the daily at what God is doing around us when our memory fails us. I have no doubt that if he were alive today that he would keep a journal daily. You could look back through all of scripture and think of it as a compilation of several peoples journals. The gospels are just 4 journals notating the life of Christ through different perspectives. If Paul hadn’t journaled we wouldn't have the book of Revelation. That was literally just Paul journaling out his dream that God gave him. When we read scripture we are doing as Asaph said, were remembering the deeds of the Lord. Were pondering and praising God for the things that hes done through the vision of those who journaled before us. Journaling helps remind us of his enduring presence throughout our lives. It will help us to have clarity in our decisions because we can look back at how things have gone before.

2. Pray With Pen

Philippians 4:6–7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Anxiety is a terribly common problem in our lives. So much so that scripture talks about it and helps us to have an out. Anxiety is a tool that is used by the enemy to cripple us. Its something that takes over and blinds us. When we are blind we cant see the goodness of God and his splendor. To combat our anxiety God has given himself to us on speed dial. The number is saved as the number one ICE contact in our phone. He will always answer no matter the time of day or how late at night. When we are facing things like anxiety we are to pray to our good father who loves us and doesnt want us to suffer. Jesus will take the darkness from our eyes and help us to see clearly again. When we journal our prayers we can look back on our struggles and be in thanksgiving when our prayers are answered. Healing is not an over night thing. It takes time sometimes to have victory over our sins. Ultimately God will heal us but the knife of sin is deep and leaves a nasty wound. If we dont heal the wounds properly then our wounds will get infected and do even more damage. But we have the best doctor available for our condition. Journaling is a practical way that we can express the wound that sin leaves us. It allows us to privately acknowledge the damage done and be in thanksgiving when that wound is healed. When we express our wounds and our damage we can experience true healing. We use journaling as an ongoing conversation with God about our lives.

3. Pen Your Purpose

Habakkuk 2:2–3 “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”

The Lord directly told Habakkuk to journal out his visions. When we write out things like this we will have clarity on our feelings and the things that God is showing us. Habakkuk's vision is an example of being able to look back on God’s timing. In having written down his vision we are able to see the will of God. The prophesy that this is written about was not to come yet but in having it written down we aren't thinking what was that thing that God showed me a couple years ago to help prepare me for this moment. God is going to give us every tool that we need to succeed. He is going to help us to see his will in our lives. we need to lay out our thoughts clearly to understand our calling. We have to dive into our divine revelations. If I am at work and all of a sudden i have clarity over something and I cant stop to think about that and explore it then I am likely to forget. Writing it down allows me to go back to that later and seek guidance on it. It allows us to be able to remember the things of God.

I pray that as we go into this season of remembering the resurrection that we can put into the spiritual disciplines of fasting, service and journaling. Your minds are still growing. It is easier for you to develop good habits in your walk with Christ. These arent the only spiritual disciplines we are to practice but its a good place to start.