Prayer Journaling | Saturday SOULfood

Happy Saturday, 70,114,105,101,110,100—

In today's SOULfood, guest contributor Cheryl Esper Balcom shares the benefits of prayer journaling and some helpful tips to get started. I have been prayer journaling since I was a teenager and highly recommend the practice! -Sarah Koontz

The practice of regular prayer can feel difficult—it takes time, energy, and undistracted focus. Yet, it isn’t meant to be complicated.

Just as we desire our kids and loved ones to come to us with the troubles and joys of their everyday lives, God longs for us to seek Him and share our lives with Him.

According to Jesus, the purpose of prayer is to (Mt 6:7–13):

Acknowledge God’s holiness

Surrender to His sovereign will

Ask God to meet our needs for today

Seek forgiveness of our sins

Ask for protection against temptation and rescue from our enemy

Prayer is also an opportunity to give thanks to God (1 Thes 5:16-18) and intercede for others (Jas 5:16).

A simple way to shape our prayer time into something deeper and more intentional is the rich practice of keeping a prayer journal.

Here are four benefits of prayer journaling.

1- We can pray intentionally.

Prayer journaling is an active, intentional way to pray. The mental and physical exertion required for writing (or typing) keeps us alert.

Our words and thoughts are laid before the Lord, we praise His name, and we cast all our cares upon Him (1 Pt 5:7).

2 - We can look forward by looking back.

As we look back and re-read old entries, we are reminded how the Lord listened and responded to our prayers (Ps 105:5). This is a helpful activity for days we feel down, and it seems like the evil one is winning.

God’s faithfulness, steadfast love, and trustworthiness shine through our personal record of His work.

3 - We’re reminded of our blessings.

A journal keeps an ongoing count of our blessings. Studies have shown that gratitude positively affects both mental and physical health.

Recording and reflecting on what we’re thankful for shifts our mind’s focus from what we lack to what we have. We can find comfort in the reminder of God’s goodness and provision.

4 - Our vocabulary of praise increases.

When we pair journaling with reading the Bible, we discover an ever-expanding vocabulary of scriptural lament and praise.

And the physical act of writing out Bible verses helps to embed the words into our memories—a great way to hide His word in our hearts (Ps 119:11)!

No hard and fast rules exist regarding prayer journaling, including no requirement to write in it every day. But once you start, you may start looking forward to it.

Here are some tips to get started with prayer journaling:

#1 - Find a notebook pleasing to your eye and comfortable to write prayers inside.

If it’s easier or more comfortable to use a laptop or type on your desktop, then do it. The goal is to draw near to the Lord.

#2 - Have your Bible nearby.

Begin time with the Lord in His word. Maybe it’s just a chapter or two, but it’s our time to listen.

#3 - Start with a verse that spoke to you from the day’s Bible reading.

Process the verse with the Lord. A journal is a safe place to ask questions, share frustrations about our limited understanding, and praise God because His ways are higher than ours (Is 55:8-9).

This time of reflection can lead to uninhibited confession. We stand in the light of God’s holiness and can come away knowing we’re forgiven and loved (1 Jn 1:9).

#5 - Include prayers, concerns, or joys for other people.

In recent years, I created two bulleted lists each day.

One list is titled "Thankful." We identify all our blessings, from the shimmering snow outside our window to God’s mercies (Lam 3:23).

The other list is titled "Praying." Here, we list out all our concerns for loved ones, our lives, and the world.

#5 - End your journaling time with Scripture.

Finish your journaling with Scripture. Maybe even a psalm of praise, a few lines from a worship song, or a question.

As you develop a rhythm for your prayer journal, you’ll come away knowing God better—and feeling known.

Writing out our prayers can help us process our thoughts and track our spiritual growth. We can better recognize patterns of weakness, sin, and areas of strength.

Most of all, we can see God's great faithfulness, the blessings He has given us, and the strength of His sufficient grace.

"Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7 HCSB

- Cheryl Esper Balcom