Tips for Journaling for Spiritual Growth

So you know that you want to grow in your faith, and you think there are some issues underneath the surface that need dealing with in order to do that. But what’s this journaling thing? How do I use that to become more like Jesus?

I started using journaling because it was a way for me to get my thoughts out of the jumble of my brain and onto paper where I could evaluate them with a bit more objectivity. I found that I would be feeling a certain way or dealing with a certain issue and I couldn’t sort through why.

Having a conversation with myself on paper forces me to slow down and look at what I’m feeling and why. It helps me to get to the issues that are causing those emotions. It brings the logical side of me back into play.

What does that look like? How do we journal in order to get to the bottom of what we’re dealing with?

Pull out a pen and paper and start writing. Talk to yourself. Are you dealing with anxiety and you’re not sure over what? Start with the basics:

“I feel anxious.”

What is making you anxious?

“My family members are fighting with each other and I don’t like that.”

Why does that bother you?

“I want them to get along. I don’t like seeing one being unkind to the other.”

What if they don’t get along? What’s the worst case scenario?

“They may blame me because I’ve tried to help them get along.”

Is it actually your fault that they’re arguing?

“Not exactly. I’m working with them trying to help them establish healthier boundaries.”

That’s a good thing. Unhealthy boundaries don’t get fixed overnight. It’s going to be messy for a while. But let them go through the process. You don’t need to own it as your own problem.

See how that went? (That was a true scenario, by the way…) Journaling allows me to separate the emotional mess part of me with the logical, Holy Spirit-led part of me. The book Boundaries for Your Soul by Alison Cook and Kimberly Miller talks a lot about this idea of taking the parts of us that are anxious, fearful, or angry, and guiding them with your Spirit-led self. There are things that I know are true, but I’m not always living them out. When I can identify what I am living that isn’t in line with what I know to be true, it calms my emotions as my logical self takes the reins back again.

Here are some tips for getting started journaling:

1. When you’re struggling with something, ask yourself a lot of “Why” questions. Why am I anxious? Why am I afraid in this situation? Why did I respond that way?

2. You can also ask yourself “What” questions. What am I afraid of? What am I anxious about? What do I think will happen if…?

3. Remember that no one ever has to read your journal. There’s no need to hide anything or spin your responses to make yourself look better. You have no one to impress. God already knows what’s in your heart and He still loves you. It can be painful to be honest with yourself, but it’s the path to healing and wholeness in Christ.

Have you tried journaling in this way? How has it worked for you? What tips do you have to share?