When we鈥檙e in the middle of a hard situation, or maybe just a confusing one, it鈥檚 easy to focus on the problem we're facing. But no matter what kind of hardship you鈥檙e facing, when we choose to focus on God rather than on everything we can鈥檛 change, it gives us a new perspective鈥攐ne that points us towards the truth: that God is always in control.
If you鈥檙e looking for a practical way to shift your focus back to God, journaling can serve as a habit that has the power to help us remember, ponder, meditate, and worship, just like David talks about in Psalm 143. Check out three ways journaling can deepen your relationship with God and help point you back to him when it comes to facing life鈥檚 challenges.
1. Journaling helps you remember what you went through鈥攁nd how God showed up
You might think you have an excellent memory, or maybe you tend to be on the more forgetful side. Regardless, when you鈥檙e facing a tough situation (or find yourself in the middle of a great one!), you鈥檒l most likely be thinking, feeling, and experiencing a lot, and odds are you won鈥檛 remember all of it in the aftermath.
Writing down the details as you鈥檙e experiencing them does more than ensure you鈥檒l remember what happened. It also means that once you鈥檙e on the other side of the situation, you鈥檒l be able to look back and read through all that you were thinking and feeling at the time. And ultimately, it will allow you to look back on your experience and see how God saw you through it.
2. Journaling gives you a safe space to ask God hard questions
Have you ever felt like you just needed to vent while going through something hard? If you鈥檙e feeling emotionally overwhelmed, taking time to write down all of the thoughts and questions running through your mind (yes, even the ones that seem dramatic or illogical) can be a helpful way to work through a stressful or unprecedented situation.
Journaling can provide a place to ask God hard questions and work through confusing emotions. No one else ever has to see your journal entries鈥攖hey can just be between you and God. And if you find that you enjoy it, you can even try keeping a prayer journal going forward!
3. Journaling allows you to see how you鈥檝e grown in your faith
Once you start journaling鈥攚hether it鈥檚 an everyday habit or every once in a while鈥攜ou鈥檒l start to accumulate entries that span multiple days, months, and even years. And while you may not go back and read every entry, your journal will serve as documentation and a testament to your faith journey over time.
That means this time next year, when you find yourself facing a hardship, you can flip back to a previous entry and remember how God worked then, and look forward to how he鈥檒l work in the future. With the wisdom from those previous experiences, you鈥檒l be able to see (and read!) how much more focused you are on trusting in his plan instead of trying to fix everything on your own.
And remember, be consistent鈥攕chedule a time each day or week to sit down and journal, whether it鈥檚 10 minutes or half an hour, commit to sticking to the habit and make it a regular part of your routine.
Ready to start journaling? Here are a few of our top choices to get you started!
1. Daily Kairos Prayer Journal
2. Dayspring Journals & Notebooks
3. Prayer Journal for Him
For more on shifting your perspective towards God when your back鈥檚 against the wall, check out the message 4 Steps to Connecting with God.