Why Keep a Journal of your Prayer Time?

For some people, writing in a journal or some sort of diary is very natural. For others, it is quite foreign. Today we are going to look at some of the great reasons why you should consider keeping a written record of your prayer time in a journal. God told the Israelites to write down His Words (Ex. 24:27, Num. 33:2, Deut. 31:9). He knows our short memory and wants us to remember what He says.

1) To help you remember what God is showing you
To remember His promises, discipline, what He’s teaching you. You can read back over these things and reflect. Often you can see patterns in your life, reoccurring themes. When you go through past journals you can see where you’ve come from and where you are, what He’s been doing in your life and how your view of God has changed.

2) To help you test what you’re hearing
Write down the things you get in listening prayer and then over time you can see whether or not you have been hearing Him clearly. God often confirms things through other people so then we can look back and test what we have been hearing.

3) To help you learn to wait on the Lord
When you write things down in a journal it gives you more patience to wait for His promises to come true. You learn to wait on the Lord as He shows you piece of a larger picture that you may have missed. It helps you learn to submit to His will and plans and deal with your own junk. It grows you in learning to trust His timing.

4) It helps you express your emotions to God
Much of the Psalms is David’s journal – he wrote down all the junk that was going on in his life and how he felt about it. If you’re just starting out journaling, it’s a good place to begin. The important thing is to ask God what He wants to say about it so that you can get His perspective on it. Bringing your troubles to God instead of running to friends helps you receive His peace (you can still get your friends to pray with you, it’s about taking it to God first).

5) It leaves a legacy of your walk with God
A Journal is not a diary of daily events but rather it is a place to meditate on the Lord and write down what He’s teaching you, areas of sin you need to work on and prayers you are praying. There is something concrete, thoughtful, and meditative about writing down your thoughts. If all you ever did was speak prayers (and you still can do that throughout the day), you’d miss out on this legacy in your walk with God.