You may be experiencing some chaos in your life or feeling uncertain about the future. Maybe, like so many of us, you want to build a relationship with God. You’ve searched for how to get closer to God you stumbled upon a prayer journal as a way to grow your faith in God. All of the reasons above are great reasons to begin a prayer journal. It can be hard to find time to connect with God in the everyday hustle and bustle. You try and connect with Him during the day, but your mind drifts off to the list of things you need to get done, or you are quickly interrupted by little hands that need you. Prayer journaling can be an excellent way to connect with God and spend quality time with Him.
Why is Prayer Journaling Helpful?
This world is busy and complicated. We are often moving through our day without a lot of intentional thought, and prayer journaling is a fantastic way to evaluate your spiritual progress. A prayer journal doesn’t have to be complicated, just like your relationship with God. Using a prayer journal can help you focus on a daily connection with God and, in return, increase your ability to intimacy with God.
Intimacy with God, being comfortable to be open, honest, and vulnerable is how you get a personal relationship with God. Plain and simple, if you want to be building a relationship with God or strengthen it, you have to be in communication with God, and this method could be the best strategy for growing your relationship with God. By keeping a simple yet effective prayer journal, you will love being able to look back 3-6 months and see what you were praying over, what you were celebrating, and what was weighing heavy on you during that time.
Steps to Start Prayer Journaling
Writing down our prayers can be a powerful way to engage with God by sharing our praises and requests with Him. As we continue forward in our faith journeys, it can be valuable to look back and read through the thoughts and prayers that brought us to where we are.
Grab an empty notebook.
Pick a verse. This can be whatever verse comes to your mind, or you can follow along with a daily devotion book. In the beginning, it may be best to look for a verse that was in alignment with how you felt that day. For example, this season of your life could center around verses about strength, patience, guidance, and God’s desires for your life. Write the Bible verse at the top of the page and date the page.
Pray over this activity.
You should say a quick little prayer before you start writing in your prayer journal. In your prayer, you could thank God for giving you time to step away from your busy schedule to spend time with Him. Ask Him to keep your heart and mind open to His messages. You could also ask that the Bible verses give you the clarity that your heart seeks. Finally, ask Him to remember and have faith that His timing and plan are far better than ours. However, you feel inclined, saying a prayer before writing in your prayer journal will give you clarity and help you remember why you’re writing in the journal.
Start writing.
Write whatever flows to your heart. Write out your prayer, write out your heart like a diary or use something like the SOAP method, which means scripture, observation, application, and prayer, if you need more structure. There is no right or wrong answer to how to write a prayer. You may find a lot of peace to keep my writing free, almost as if I’m writing a letter to God each day.
Include personal worship.
Reserve a particular page for permanent prayer items. “Lord, give me the perfect love of 1 Corinthians 13” can’t be fully answered in this lifetime, but it is the sort of prayer God uses to transform you and draw you closer to Himself. Likewise, “Father, thank You for Your great mercy and salvation” is praise that will never end and fulfills the high purpose of giving glory to God.
Store treasures.
Collect prayer “gems." If a sermon expands your understanding of prayer, note the helpful points. If a quotation says it as you’ve never thought of it before, copy it down. Keep a list of prayer techniques that will break you out of ruts. These might be anything from “Pray for those suffering every time I hear a siren” to “Try a different prayer posture.
Incorporate stones of remembrance.
Look back to look forward. Prepare your heart for prayer by reviewing the previous day’s or week’s journal entries. You could also devote a particular time to talk to God about your recent prayer life, reminding you of what needs prayer and His greatness in hearing you. Mark signposts. Several times a year, set aside one or more journal pages for reflections on the impact of prayer in your Christian experience. How has God used prayer in your life? How has devotion deepened your walk with God?
Everyone is so busy trying to live life and make it to tomorrow in modern times. It can be easy to get caught up in the distractions that pull us further and further away from God. A prayer journal is a great way to quiet your mind and tap back into your relationship with God.
Starting a prayer journal is an excellent way to improve your relationship with God and keep track of your prayers. It can also be easy to forget where we come from once God has answered our prayers. A prayer journal can help you look back on what you’ve prayed for and see how far God has brought you. Prayer journaling can be therapeutic because it enables you to clear your mind of your worries and give them to God. Once you write down your prayers and give them to God, take comfort in the fact that God’s got it from here.
