What’s a prayer journal? Can it assist your prayer life? Sure! Study concerning the energy of writing down your prayers to God.
In the event you’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 appropriate place.
A prayer journal is a instrument 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 means, you may image a prayer journal to be the equal of a spoken prayer however in written phrases, nearly like a letter to God.
There are loads of other ways through which you can also make use of a prayer journal that will help you develop in your prayer life.
Maybe probably the most lovely a part of retaining a prayer journal is with the ability to look again in any respect the belongings 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 overlook God’s goodness, and what He has carried us by way of. A prayer journal serves as a relentless reminder of the place you as soon as had been and God’s trustworthy character, and steadfast love in these troubled occasions.
The Israelites needed to study this themselves, in Deuteronomy 8:2, “And also you shall bear in mind the entire means 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’ll maintain his commandments or not.”
The Advantages of Prayer Journaling & How It Can Assist Your Prayer Life
1. Centered Prayer
It’s really easy to float off if you end up praying, whether or not that’s early within the morning or late at evening, typically we are able to 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.
When you find yourself writing down your prayers, it requires you to be extra current, and intentional within the phrases that you’re selecting to put in writing. It permits you to suppose, and never rush by way of your prayer with the intention to go on to the subsequent factor.
2. Intentional Prayer
As a result of prayer journaling usually includes prompts, this lets you be extra intentional together with your time in prayer.
Relying on the sort of prompts that you simply select to include, this may problem you to consider the issues you can give God thanks for, the methods through which you’ve gotten 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 may embody issues like individuals who you have to ask God that will help you forgive, those that are going through robust occasions, or who are usually not believers.
There is a chance for intentional prayer with regards to prayer journaling.
3. Serves as an affidavit
Typically we expect that testimonies are solely wanted to indicate others the work that God has finished, however many occasions 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 are able to maintain observe of that’s by way of prayer journaling. We will see how God modified our hearts and the methods through which He labored.
It’s so straightforward to overlook, and thru prayer journaling, not solely does it function an awesome reminder to ourselves, however it’s also one thing that we are able to deliver up in dialog to others, as an affidavit of God’s grace.
The best way to Begin Prayer Journaling
It may be straightforward to overthink prayer journaling, however it’s very easy to get began. Keep 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 lots simpler. The primary is to discover a place the place you may 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 simply dedicate to praying. It’s not at all times straightforward to discover a constant time, particularly when life is usually a little unpredictable, however looking for a time when you recognize you’ll have some uninterrupted time makes a world of a distinction.
Three, deal with your prayer to God, begin with His title, and keep in mind that that is the place you may 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 steerage the place you want it, forgiveness the place you’ve gotten 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 you can select from.
The beauty of prayer journaling is that it is rather customizable, which suggests you can 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 together with your prayer journal, the principle level of it’s communion with God. The rationale that is necessary to say is as a result of it’s straightforward to get caught in mundane particulars.
In the event you aren’t capable of afford a very fancy journal, you don’t have to permit that to cease you from beginning. When you have free items of paper, an outdated pocket book from faculty, or a plain e-book to put in writing in, you’ve gotten all you have to 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 seems 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 widespread.
1. Hardback or paperback notebooks
These are most likely the most typical option to begin a prayer journal. When you have a pocket book with lined pages or perhaps a bullet journal, you may simply begin writing out your prayers in it. You possibly can even add your personal creative concepts afterward if you want to create a scrapbook sort of prayer journal.
2. Prepared-made Prayer Journals
You may also discover a big number of pre-made prayer journals, particularly designed that will help you maintain a prayer journal. These journals usually have prompts written within them to present you concepts on what to wish for, and might usually be accompanied by a verse of the day, a problem, or some form of encouragement or inspiration.
3. Printable Prayer Journals
Much 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 sort of pages which are contained within the prayer journal and as soon as you buy it, you may 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. In case you are not somebody who wants a bodily pen and paper and also you take pleasure in writing on an iPad or system, then a digital prayer journal could also be match for you. These are additionally available on-line and may be downloaded onto your system. Many iPad customers take pleasure in journaling on their units with a stylus which supplies the identical phantasm as writing in a standard pocket book. The upside is that there’s a lot of alternative for personalisation, and to simply erase something if wanted.
Concepts for Every day Prayer Journal Entries
In the event you’re not precisely certain what to put in writing about in your prayer journal, you may learn the article on prayer journal prompts right here, to present you some extra in-depth concepts.
However simply to begin you off, there are some things you can incorporate into your prayer journal, such because the ACTS prayer methodology. This merely serves as a information or define to 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 any one like our God. He deserves all the glory 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 finished.
Confession – An necessary a part of our prayer life is that it serves as a means for us to admit our sins to God, and to say sorry. God calls us to take action, as a substitute of being detached to our sin, a real brokenness over our sin grows us in Christlikeness, and in humility in the direction of God, growing our gratitude for His grace.
Thanksgiving – It may be straightforward to get slowed down with the troubles of life that we overlook how a lot we now have to be glad about. If we now have air in our lungs at present, it is sufficient to give God thanks, but additionally helps us domesticate hearts of gratitude reasonably than discontentment.
Supplication – Lastly, we are able to deliver our prayer requests to God in prayer. We will ask Him for steerage in a sure state of affairs, to satisfy the wants of others, or to wish for any state of affairs that’s happening in your life, the lives of others, or on the planet round you.
That’s the fundamental groundwork for getting began on a prayer journal, it is rather easy, and doesn’t must be difficult in any respect! The very best factor to do is get began, and you will notice the fruit of a rising and constant prayer time with God.
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