Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The word of God is living and active. Capable of live interaction. It CAN be more than engaging cognitively with the words on a page as a method of information collection. It CAN be more than carefully applying the information to this earthly life with sincere obedience.
It IS God revealing himself through his Word in a deeply personal way that has the power to transform, sanctify, and conform my life to his image.
Communion and communication with my Savior have found its perfect fit in my life in the form of journaling. As I sit with Jesus and open the Word of God, a live interaction is taking place. Yes, I do have a pen and a journal in hand, yet my description of what is taking place is…
Worship.
All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). As I sit with the living and active Word of God, there is a real live relational exchange taking place. I acknowledge who God is, and I acknowledge my position in relation to who he is. I acknowledge the rightful place of God in my heart, spirit, and soul.
I worship with pen and paper. I journal.
What is journaling and how does it become worship of my Savior? My journaling documents my living relationship with God, made possible through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. Journaling encompasses all of life, from lament to gratitude and everything in between.
With pen in hand and paper upon which I write, I actively listen. I write down the treasures and knowledge of my Father as he reveals himself through Scripture. His Word is his voice to me. On any given day, my journal includes my heart’s expression of my current challenges, gut-level frustrations, and deep grief. It also includes prayer requests, praises for answered prayers, affirmation of trust in God for those prayers yet unanswered, and a celebration of God’s faithfulness.
I love writing Scripture word for word. It saturates my mind and seeps deep into my being. It reminds me, in written form, of God’s promises and his faithfulness. Journaling reaffirms my hope. Hope is only as good as the object of your hope. Jesus is the object of my hope. Journaling reaffirms my hope.
Journaling fits me. I was born high octane, internally and externally. I have always needed to be busy, and I thrive best with an overload of activity. As a 2-year-old, I would get up in the middle of the night, turn on every light in the house, and play with my toys. My momma still revisits my need for activity.
In God’s perfect design and mercy, journaling allows my busy mind to track with his Word. Journaling, as an expression of worship, has been uniquely provided for me as I experience my relationship with Jesus in an active way.
As I journal, I worship. As I worship, I journal. Journaling restores my spiritual equilibrium. The Word is alive and therefore capable of discerning my thoughts. It functions as a filter for the many permeating ideas of the world. It leads me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).
Perhaps it would be helpful if I would provide several commonalities of my journaling as prompts for you who might be new to journaling as a form of worship. May God, in his complete goodness, bless your journaling experience to be unique to the complexity of your intricate design. Happy Journaling!
Journaling Prompts:
*Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to REVEAL his truths through his written Word (Deuteronomy 29:29).
*Write down what is revealed. Often what is revealed to me exposes my impure thoughts, motives, and desires. It creates awareness, confession of sin, and the realignment of my heart to him.
*Write down word for word the Scriptures that seem to be speaking to you. It is a way of saturating the mind with truth, and it also functions as unintentional Scripture memory (smile).
*Praise the Lord through focusing on his faithfulness, goodness, and trustworthiness. When anxiety creeps in about a certain subject, flip back to the pages in your journal specific to this topic, and reread those passages that have comforted you and provided guidance previously.
*Pour out your heart in words. No need to write in full sentences. Allow the freedom to be random. It can be raw and grammatically incorrect. Lament while keeping focused on his truth. Express gratitude which has its perfect way of balancing the lament.
*Periodically, I look back in my journal and write “TY” next to previous prayer requests. The TY represents “Thank you” to God for his faithfulness. It infuses my hope for future trials.
Blessings as you journal. Blessings as you worship.
Kelly Packard began attending Faith in 1997. She loves affirming the promises of God from his Word through writing, and, as part of Faith’s writing team, she brings that passion and insight to our church. Kelly has spent her professional career as a college/pro women’s basketball coach. In May 2020, Kelly and her husband Rich and their son Evan launched Living Hope Mountain Respite, a ministry geared toward helping couples who have lost a child. In her leisure time, she enjoys her family and friends, drinking coffee and exercise.