What’s a prayer journal? Can it assist your prayer life? Sure! Be taught in regards to the energy of writing down your prayers to God.
For those who’re questioning precisely what a prayer journal is, and the way it not solely works however helps you in your prayer life, then you definitely’re in the proper place.
A prayer journal is a device that you should utilize, within the type of a pocket book or diary that serves as a spot so that you can write down your prayers to God.
In a method, you’ll be able to image a prayer journal to be the equal of a spoken prayer however in written phrases, virtually like a letter to God.
There are numerous other ways by which you can also make use of a prayer journal that will help you develop in your prayer life.
Maybe probably the most stunning a part of conserving a prayer journal is having the ability to look again in any respect the stuff you prayed for and the way God has labored in your life and answered these prayers in several methods.
As individuals, we are sometimes fast to neglect God’s goodness, and what He has carried us by way of. A prayer journal serves as a continuing reminder of the place you as soon as had been and God’s devoted character, and steadfast love in these troubled instances.
The Israelites needed to be taught this themselves, in Deuteronomy 8:2, “And also you shall keep in mind the entire method that the Lord your God has led you these forty years within the wilderness, that he would possibly humble you, testing you to know what was in your coronary heart, whether or not you’d preserve his commandments or not.”
The Advantages of Prayer Journaling & How It Can Assist Your Prayer Life
1. Targeted Prayer
It’s really easy to float off if you find yourself praying, whether or not that’s early within the morning or late at night time, generally we will discover ourselves not as engaged in prayer. This may be attributable to tiredness, distractions, or a mode the place we merely repeat the identical factor day after day.
If you end up writing down your prayers, it requires you to be extra current, and intentional within the phrases that you’re selecting to jot down. It lets you suppose, and never rush by way of your prayer with a purpose to go on to the subsequent factor.
2. Intentional Prayer
As a result of prayer journaling typically entails prompts, this lets you be extra intentional along with your time in prayer.
Relying on the form of prompts that you just select to include, this could problem you to consider the issues that you could give God thanks for, the methods by which you have got seen Him work, and the completely different traits of God that you’re studying about.
Not solely that, nevertheless it additionally extends to prayer for others, as you’ll be able to embrace issues like individuals who you could ask God that will help you forgive, those that are dealing with robust instances, or who are usually not believers.
There is a chance for intentional prayer relating to prayer journaling.
3. Serves as an affidavit
Typically we predict that testimonies are solely wanted to indicate others the work that God has accomplished, however many instances we’re in want of a reminder of who God is, and has been all through completely different seasons of our lives.
One of many methods we will preserve observe of that’s by way of prayer journaling. We are able to see how God modified our hearts and the methods by which He labored.
It’s so simple to neglect, and thru prayer journaling, not solely does it function an awesome reminder to ourselves, however it’s also one thing that we will deliver up in dialog to others, as an affidavit of God’s grace.
How one can Begin Prayer Journaling
It may be simple to overthink prayer journaling, however it’s very easy to get began. Bear in mind, that is your time of prayer, and also you get to speak to your Heavenly Father, so make it personable, as a result of it’s all about your relationship with Him.
There are some things that make prayer journaling quite a bit simpler. The primary is to discover a place the place you’ll be able to write every day. It’s good to develop the behavior, and discovering a constant place is usually an effective way to construct consistency.
Secondly, attempt to discover a time that you just dedicate to praying. It’s not at all times simple to discover a constant time, particularly when life generally is a little unpredictable, however looking for a time when you recognize you’ll have some uninterrupted time makes a world of a distinction.
Three, tackle your prayer to God, begin with His title, and keep in mind that that is the place you’ll be able to discuss to Him. There are not any guidelines on how lengthy or brief your prayer must be, merely write about what involves thoughts, and share what’s going on. You possibly can ask God for steering the place you want it, forgiveness the place you have got sinned, and for His continued power and safety.
The Kinds of Prayer Journals to Select From
Earlier than you get into prayer journaling, you must know that there are a couple of kinds of prayer journals that you could select from.
The beauty of prayer journaling is that it is extremely customizable, which implies that you could make it as private as potential, and might select between varied completely different sorts of journals.
You will need to be aware, although it’s enjoyable to be inventive along with your prayer journal, the primary level of it’s communion with God. The rationale that is essential to say is as a result of it’s simple to get caught in mundane particulars.
For those who aren’t capable of afford a very fancy journal, you don’t have to permit that to cease you from beginning. When you’ve got free items of paper, an outdated pocket book from faculty, or a plain e book to jot down in, you have got all you could get began.
Don’t enable an absence of glitter pens, or cute equipment to cease you from rising your relationship with God by way of prayer. That’s in the end what He appears at, our hearts and our phrases to Him, not the handwriting that they had been written in.
So, with out additional ado, listed below are only a few kinds of journals which are frequent.
1. Hardback or paperback notebooks
These are in all probability the commonest strategy to begin a prayer journal. When you’ve got a pocket book with lined pages or perhaps a bullet journal, you’ll be able to simply begin writing out your prayers in it. You possibly can even add your individual inventive concepts afterward if you need to create a scrapbook form of prayer journal.
2. Prepared-made Prayer Journals
You too can discover a big choice of pre-made prayer journals, particularly designed that will help you preserve a prayer journal. These journals typically have prompts written inside them to provide you concepts on what to hope for, and might typically be accompanied by a verse of the day, a problem, or some form of encouragement or inspiration.
3. Printable Prayer Journals
Just like ready-made prayer journals, there is a gigantic quantity of printable content material on the web proper now, together with many prayer journals to select from. You possibly can simply discover printable prayer journals from web sites like Etsy which let you see the form of pages which are contained within the prayer journal and as soon as you buy it, you’ll be able to print out as many as you need and mix them right into a prayer journal folder or binder.
4. Digital Prayer Journals
Know-how has grown immensely through the years. If you’re not somebody who wants a bodily pen and paper and also you take pleasure in writing on an iPad or machine, then a digital prayer journal could also be a great match for you. These are additionally available on-line and may be downloaded onto your machine. Many iPad customers take pleasure in journaling on their units with a stylus which supplies the identical phantasm as writing in a traditional pocket book. The upside is that there’s a lot of alternative for personalisation, and to simply erase something if wanted.
Concepts for Each day Prayer Journal Entries
For those who’re not precisely certain what to jot down about in your prayer journal, you’ll be able to learn the article on prayer journal prompts right here, to provide you some extra in-depth concepts.
However simply to begin you off, there are some things that you could incorporate into your prayer journal, such because the ACTS prayer methodology. This merely serves as a information or define on your prayer.
ACTS is the abbreviation for adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Here’s a brief clarification of every of these factors.
Adoration – There isn’t a one like our God. He deserves all the honour and glory, and it’s a privilege that we get to glorify Him for who He’s. Once we come to God in prayer by way of adoration, we’re acknowledging who He’s, and taking a stance of humility as we reward Him for all He’s and Has accomplished.
Confession – An essential a part of our prayer life is that it serves as a method for us to admit our sins to God, and to express regret. God calls us to take action, as an alternative of being detached to our sin, a real brokenness over our sin grows us in Christlikeness, and in humility in the direction of God, rising our gratitude for His grace.
Thanksgiving – It may be simple to get slowed down with the troubles of life that we neglect how a lot now we have to be thankful for. If now we have air in our lungs in the present day, it is sufficient to give God thanks, but in addition helps us domesticate hearts of gratitude relatively than discontentment.
Supplication – Lastly, we will deliver our prayer requests to God in prayer. We are able to ask Him for steering in a sure state of affairs, to fulfill the wants of others, or to hope for any state of affairs that’s going down in your life, the lives of others, or on the earth round you.
That’s the fundamental groundwork for getting began on a prayer journal, it is extremely easy, and doesn’t must be difficult in any respect! One of the best factor to do is get began, and you will notice the fruit of a rising and constant prayer time with God.
