Like with the spiritual discipline of Scripture memorization, soul journaling, has been the foundation of much of the Bible. In other words, if no one memorized the Word of God during the times of oral tradition or recorded their interactions with God there would be no Bible.

In regards to journaling, much of the book of Psalms could be considered the personal diary of King David. The Holy Spirit used David’s deep personal introspection to be the background of God’s Scriptural truths revealed in his writings. The same could be said of the book of Ecclesiastes in regards to King Solomon and his overall musings about life.

Also, many of the prophetical books like Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel contain dairy-like entries, ex. Jer. 1:4-19, Lam. 1:16, & Eze. 1-2. Therefore, it is good for modern disciples to learn how to remember their experiences with God and record what God has said to them.

SERIES TEXT

1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

Disciplined1a

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: The commands and practices a disciple “show” in their life to “grow” spiritually. The growing disciple will be transformed in their behavior by being renewed in their mind (Romans 12:2) for the purpose of reflecting the image of God.

VERSES FOR SOUL JOURNALING

  1. Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”
  2. Psalm 62:8, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
  3. Psalm 143:5, “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”
  4. Jeremiah 30:2, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.'”
  5. Revelation 1:10-11, “10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’”

SOUL JOURNALING: Recording your personal interactions with God for the purpose of remembering them. The difference between “soul journaling” and just keeping a dairy is that the source of the journal is what God is doing spiritually in your soul.

NATURAL BENEFITS OF JOURNALING

  1. Stretching Your IQ
  2. Evoking Mindfulness
  3. Achieving Goals
  4. Emotional Intelligence
  5. Boosting Memory and Comprehension
  6. Strengthen Your Self-Discipline
  7. Improve Communication Skills
  8. Healing
  9. Spark Your Creativity
  10. Self-Confidence*
*Source

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS OF SOUL JOURNALING

  1. More effective prayer times.
  2. Keeping testimonies.
  3. Keeping track of the verses you’ve memorized.
  4. Reminding yourself of God’s promises and answered prayers.

HOW TO SOUL JOURNAL

  1. Find a time to be alone and hear from God.
  2. Write down the things that God speaks to you.
  3. Write down your prayer requests.
  4. Write down the verses you are memorizing.
  5. Write down the things God has done and what you are thankful for.

More Resources:

  1. Easy Steps to Journaling
  2. How to Be Good at Journaling
  3. More Helpful Ideas

EXAMPLE SOUL JOURNAL

Monday July 2, 2016

  1. Repent: What I am Turning Away From 
    1. I repent for… being angry with the person on the phone from the ADT alarm company.
    2. I repent for… being doubtful of God’s promise to provide for all my needs when it is time to pay the bills.
  2. Replace: What I am Confessing Over My Life
    1. I see myself… at perfect peace in God’s presence.
    2. I see myself… prospering and being successful as a great father and pastor.
    3. I see myself… completing my doctorate with good grades.
  3. Renew: What I am Doing to Stay Spiritually Encouraged  
    1. Worship & Pray: 1hr prayer walk
    2. Bible: John 1-4 & Psalm 24.
    3. Sermon: Joyce Meyer, “The Wonderful Holy Spirit.”
  4. Rebuild: What I am Memorizing  
    1. James 1:2-3, “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
  5. Recall: What I am Thankful For
    1. I am thankful for… a stress free day! I was free from all stress and worrisome thinking today!
    2. I am thankful for… my health, my family’s health, every bill being paid, and a blessed family and church!

Take time on a regular basis to (1) Hear God speak to you, (2) Pour out your heart to Him and (3) Recall all the wonderful things He has done in your life!