Journaling is a great spiritual exercise but in dark days can be more important than just a diary.
Your journal can be a critical reminder to the good days when it is storming and all the world seems dark.
Write about the times when God felt close. A great consolation for me is to read back over the days and years when things seem tough. I am reminded of the feelings in my soul when I drew closest and saw God most. These entries lift up my heart from the darkness to remind me that God is always near.
I write prayers and desires when God feels more distant. These change my focus from sorrow and the clouds to seeing God’s light through the darkness.
Many pages of “I knew His Voice” are taken directly from my journal. Both the highest times of when He was speaking to me and showing Himself to my daughter, as well as those times in that dark night.
The times of great rejoicing in trust lifted me up (just a bit) in the darkness. And, I’ve noticed my prayers and entries in the days of darkness were beautiful psalms of need and desire. I was even surprised when I read some of these pages over the years how focused upon God I was when I only remembered struggles and distance.
Journaling isn’t for everyone. But, for those on The Road of Faith, I ask you to consider buying a cheap journal and starting. Just write basic thoughts, prayers, needs. Write about a Bible verse you read this morning or what caught your heart from the homily.
Write about the “good times”, the mountaintop experiences with God, then read back over these days in all other times.
Let God begin to speak to you through your own words. Let God write through your hand that you may be lifted up more quickly.
Amen! Journaling is so important indeed! And, it is amazing how the Lord speaks to your heart by going back over the notes over time and seeing the “trends” that surface. I believe that is how the song “I can only Imagine” was written. Beautiful reflection today….thank you!