[e-Devotionals] 2000-08-09 - Using A Spiritual Journal

Spiritual Disciplines Series, Part 5
Originally Published 1997-02-19

Psalm 143:5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

Once after cleaning out a cabinet in my study, I came upon a baby book of my first child, Morgan. In this book there were lists of firsts for her. Her first tooth, first Christmas, first crawl, first walk and even her first haircut were included! Morgan and I sat down and went through the book, and it was a thrill to reminisce about her early childhood. As we talked about all the highlights of her life until now, she enjoyed seeing and hearing about the journey of her life.

A spiritual journal is simply a place to write down the adventures in your walk with God. This is a very effective discipline by which you can hold yourself accountable for all the other disciplines, and helps you maintain daily conversations with Jesus. There are no rules for journaling. If I had one rule, it would be to be very honest in writing your thoughts down in the journal. God wants your heart.

Now you are thinking, "Great David. How do I do this?" I have tried several different ways to journal. What works for me is a simple diary, with the days of the year and blank pages. What do I write? A very helpful resource, "The Disciple's Journal" is published by Narrow Road Publishing. This book is a great year-long bible study and journaling tool. Below are some Prompts from the book:

Prompt Ideas

  1. See Jesus sitting across from you. What would you say to Him? Write this down.

  2. Write out one thing you are afraid to tell Jesus. Then tell Him why you have been afraid.

  3. Meditate on a passage of Scripture, and write down questions -- things about the passage that you do not understand.

  4. Ask the Lord to tell you how you can know Him better; make this your purpose during the day. At the end of the day, write down His response to you; describe the experience.

  5. Write down prayers and requests. Review these often and see how God has responded to your prayers.

  6. Write down new insights you have gained from reading the Bible.

  7. Write down anything you like, that is related to your walk with Christ.

I encourage you to start a journal. If you are nervous about writing, remember that only you and God will ever see this. Just pray and start writing a little bit from your heart. The more you write, the more natural it will become.

Dear Lord, increase in us a desire to write down our journey with You so that our minds and hearts may be illuminated with Your wisdom and Your plan for our life. Help us to grow in YOU. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

David

david@masseyre.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
http://www.peacewithgod.com