Dawson Trotman, evangelist and founder of the Navigators, once said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through your fingertips.”  By my experience, he was right.  Writing and journaling enables me to make sense out of the world and  my experiences.  For a brief moment I am able to pause, let my thoughts and experiences pass through my fingertips and they become more of a part of me.

I have a feeling it might be true for the marjority of us…but how do we practically get to the point of writing down our thoughts?  Is it even practical?  Can it be done throughout our days? We live in a world that can hinder an attempt at this. With so much to keep up with and more and more demands on our time, how can we possibly write down our fleeting thoughts that are running as fast as all in the world around us?  Perhaps though, the world could enable us to do this…to record easily.  Facebook allows for me to announce and record for my friends any moment or thought throughout my day.  I have yet to be a part of the texting world, but technology also allows us to instantly message and text our friends on our phones instead of talking to them with our voices.  Most of us are quite used to writing down our thoughts for others to read.

Paul tells us in Colossians that, “in Christ all the fullness of the Diety lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”  I have been given.  We have been given.  Fullness of God.  Surely this impacts us on a daily basis in ways that are noteworthy.  For me, writing in my journal has been a tool for survival.  If I don’t do it, I feel as if I die inside.  I feel as if I stop seeing, living, learning and being in touch with me and with God.  Now I’m sure it is not so extreme for most people, but even aside from this spiritual aspect, there is another even greater reason for me to write down my thoughts and experiences.  That would be to create a recording of and the impact of what God is doing in my life.

Recording God’s work in my life has enabled me to look back at different seasons in my life in order to be encouraged and uplifted in regards to what God can do in my life right now.  It reminds me that He is an active God…at work in me and in my world.  I’ve been writing in my journal for about 15 years and I’m amazed to see God’s generous hand in my life.

In Psalm 48, we are encouraged to see God as the defender of Jerusalem, the holy city of the Jews and also our defender and guide forever. Verse three says, “God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.”  And verse 13 says, “consider her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.”

This is what the people of Jerusalem did after an enemy attempted to besiege their city.  The people of God would inspect the city and praise God for his protection.   As one of God’s people, I too can inspect what He is doing in my life and praise Him.  Journaling is an amazing way to do this because it records it not just for me to remember but also for the next generation.  He has shown Himself to be my fortress and I want to glorify Him in recording when and how He has done that.  If He is the only one who knows what I’ve recorded, He is still glorified in my own heart and mind.  If recording it impacts me practically in how I live out my walk with Him  then He is glorified all the more.

If you are interested in starting a journaling journey or if you want to be encouraged to continue on a journaling journey, please subscribe to this blog.  I will be writing a short series of posts on journaling.  For now, think about these things:

-How would writing change your spiritual life?

-When could you write?

-Where could you write?

-What will you write in?

-What will you write with (keyboard, pen, pencil)?

-What kind of coffee will you drink while writing? This one is not so important for most people.

I’m looking forward to writing with you!

 

Photo taken from Google search. No artist named.