The Benefits of Keeping a Prayer Journal

One year ago, my first prayer journal began with this entry:

You know my heart, Lord,

But Your will be done.

It tastes like poison, God,

But I will drink this cup

If it is what You want.

Just by looking at the desperate scribbles, I can recall the painful circumstances that warranted such a prayer. The man I'd loved since I was fourteen years old would be married to another woman the following day. The word "broken" doesn't do justice to the devastation my heart was experiencing. I felt absolutely helpless and abandoned, but instead of giving up hope, I scribbled a prayer.

Prayer is an essential part of any Christian's life. While many people have powerful prayer habits by simply praying out loud or silently, the blessings of prayer journaling are bountiful. Keeping a prayer journal will help you spend more time praying, help you to remember what you've prayed for and see God working and answering your prayers, and help you develop a more personal relationship with Jesus.

If you're like me, you might have a hard time keeping your mind on track during prayer, especially when you're praying in your head. My mind tends to wander, and the time that I initially set aside to spend with Jesus ends up being squandered in daydreaming. Prayer journaling keeps the task at hand literally "at hand." Writing out prayers might take a little longer than thinking them, but at least the time is actually spent in prayer.

Like me, you might have a hard time remembering what happened one hour ago, much less what you prayed for five months ago. Prayer journaling helps you keep track of who and what you're talking to God about. When I flip through my prayer journal, I'm often excited to see a prayer about a friend or family member that God has answered. It's such a blessing to have proof that God hears me when I pray, and it would have been a blessing lost if I didn't have a "hard copy" of my prayers on hand.

I'm one of those old-fashioned people who still keeps up with friends through snail-mail. I like to be more tangibly involved in the communication process-and I love to keep hand-written letters that I receive so I can read them again and again. Keeping a prayer journal is a lot like writing letters to God. It gets rid of all the flowery phrases (mostly because they're a hassle to write out) and digs right down to the nitty gritty of you bringing your needs, hopes, worries, and fears before God. Communication is the bricklaying of friendship; the more praying you do, the closer you will be to God. Unlike sending letters to friends, prayer journaling requires no postage, so write as often as you please!

I have struggled most of my Christian life with feeling like I don't pray enough. Starting a prayer journal has helped me not only to pray more often, but it has also opened my eyes to how God hears and answers me. Consider setting aside one or two times a day (for me, it's right when I wake up and right before I go to bed) to sit in a quiet place and scribble a prayer to God. You won't regret giving it a try, and you'll be amazed to see your prayers bloom into blessings.