This post is about how to start a prayer journal for faith growth
Hey there,
I hope you have been well? Today I want to talk about Prayer journaling.
There are many methods of praying for others and yourself. When we pray, God listens and responds. Praying for others is a blessing to them and to us. As Christians, it’s important to know the power of prayer.
Many people still do not know about the power of prayer. Many of them don’t even believe that prayers work. But if you truly want something bad to stop happening in your life, then you should really begin to practice prayer. In this article, we will discuss how to start using your prayer journal.
What is a prayer journal?
A prayer journal is a notebook where you bundle all your prayers on paper. Rather than speaking out your prayers, you give them permanent life by writing them down. You can keep them anywhere, even in your pocket! A prayer journal is a great way to record your praises, thoughts, requests, and feelings towards God.
Keeping a prayer journal is a way to look back on the things that God has done for you in the past. It’s a way to keep track of your faith journey; which prayers have been answered and which ones haven’t, which ones have changed.
If you have never journaled before, I would recommend starting with something simple like a gratitude journal. Start each day by writing down three things you’re grateful for about yourself, family, friends, and pets. Writing them down makes them real.
Why having a prayer journal is a good idea?
Prayer journals help us remember what we have been thinking and feeling throughout our day. We can look back at these entries and reflect on all the moments that we saw God work during our life.
A prayer journal is also a good way to remember how far you’ve come in your faith journey. You can look back on all the transformative moments during your faith journey. It’s good to look back on when your faith is challenged and stretched.
It’s also a good way to stay focused during prayer. When you’re writing things down, it forces your mind to slow down and focus on what you’re writing. Which also makes the journaling moments much more intentional and intimate.
Types of prayer journals
- DAILY PRAYER JOURNAL
- SCRIPTURES OR IMPORTANT BIBLE VERSES FOR ME
- PRAYERS THE LORD ANSWERED TODAY
- DREAMS AND VISIONS
- WHAT GOD IS SPEAKING TO ME
Decide on the type of journal that works best for you. Out of all the different options that are possible
How to use a prayer journal?
Get the right equipment
Getting yourself the right things that you need is always the right way to go. If you don’t have a journal that you can use as a prayer journal, you can buy a prayer journal here.
Set up your prayer journal sections
Depending on how structured you want your journal to be, you can create sections in your journal that will help you navigate through your journal.
- Praise God. Use this day to praise God for who he is
- Write out your specific needs today
- Tell Him about your day
- Ask God for guidance on all the decisions you need to make this week, listing them out for him to guide
- Pray over those in your life that you want to grow close to God
- Pray for something you know you need God to help you learn
- Pray for your (future) children and/or spouse
- Pray the Word
- Write what is on your heart
- List what you are thankful For
- Good things that happened
- Remember the prayers He has answered
- Dream with the Holy Spirit
- Record what God is telling you
How often should I update my prayer journal?
You don’t have to update your prayer journal daily but try to make sure you add something each time you think about God. If you find yourself struggling to pray, then you may want to consider keeping a separate journal just for praying.
Prayer journal prompts
Some examples of prayer journal prompts are:
- What is something that has been distracting me during quiet time?
- Which one of my friends and or family members has been on my heart and why?
- God show me in which area of my life you have been working
If you want more prayer journal ideas, I created a list of prayer journal prompts just for you! You can find it here.
Scriptures to keep in mind while praying
In Luke 11:9-10, Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who sits on high.”
Jesus was talking about binding and loosing. Binding means to tie together – in the spiritual sense, to connect spiritually. Loosing means to separate – in the spiritual sense to disconnect spiritually. So, when he says to bind/loose on Earth, he means to bind/loose spiritually.
What does this mean? Well, it means that if you pray to God, He will answer your prayers according to His own plan. Even though you don’t understand His plans, He will always show you where to go to find out His thoughts and plans.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and please don’t be shy; like and leave a comment below! 😉
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Big love,
Joy
