By: Melanie Moore
We live in the days of everything being electronic -- emails, smartphones, social media, etc. I have to admit, though, that I still love paper! I love paper planners, the smell of actual books, and using my physical Bible during Bible study time. I've also started incorporating journaling into my Bible study time, and I have found so many different ways to incorporate journaling with my faith journey.
Here are some great ways to use journaling in your Bible study time!
1. Bible Study Notes
When I learn something, I often find that writing it down helps me to remember it much better than if I simply read and highlight the passage. I have found it very helpful to write down any observations about the Bible text, perhaps notes from my study Bible, and any questions I may have about the text. I also like to write down my takeaway or application notes for how I would like to apply the Bible passage to my daily life.
2. Prayers
There are several ways to incorporate journaling with your prayer time. You can write down prayers and requests as you pray each day. This is a great way to call to mind those who have needs and the prayers you want to remember. It is also a beautiful way to look back at your prayers and see all of the ways God has answered your prayers over time.
Another way to use journaling in your prayer time is to write a Bible passage in the form of a prayer. Praying the Scriptures is a powerful way to call God's promises to mind and speak His Word aloud over your life.
3. Art and Creativity
God is the Creator of all things, and when He created this world, He gave it such beauty and order. We can honor God with our creativity. Sketching your response to God's Word is such a beautiful form of worship and creativity.
4. Gratitude
We can also use our journal during our Bible and prayer time to keep a list of all of the wonderful ways that God has been good to us. By listing all of the things we are grateful for, we cultivate a heart of gratitude that can recognize God's hand at work all around us. He has been so good to us, and journaling everything we see helps us stop and notice His many blessings.
5. Bible Passage
Several years ago, I started writing Bible passages by hand. For example, I started writing the book of Proverbs which takes quite some time! I love this practice, though, because it forced me to slow down and to really think about each and every word of the Bible. By slowing down, I was able to meditate on truths that I would otherwise have skipped over. I encourage you to give it a try!
These are just a few of the ways to use journaling in your faith walk. What other ways do you find helpful? I would love to hear your ideas!
I have often found, even when I was in school, I retained better when I wrote it down. I appreciated this post as I think ahead to the new year and journaling.
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