31 Days: Day 6

The Discipline of keeping a Journal

Over the years I have gone in seasons where I journal.  Some seasons I found that I recorded the insignificant details of a day that in the light of eternity wouldn't really matter.  While in other seasons, it would be a very simple thought.  Through my on and off seasons of journaling I've found that I actually function as a whole a little better when I am disciplined to journal and here are a few reasons why:

1. Process previous events. What happens to me is not as important as the meaning I assign to what happens to me. Journaling helps me sort through my experience and be intentional about my interpretation.
2. Clarify my thinking. Writing in general helps and allows me to disentangle and wrestle through my thoughts. 
3. Understand the context. Life is often happening so quickly I usually have little time to stop and reflect on where I am in the Bigger Story. Journaling helps me to discern the difference between the forest and the trees.
4. Notice my feelings. I understand feelings aren’t everything, but they also aren’t nothing. They are often an early indicator of something brewing.
5. Connect with my heart. I’m not sure I can really explain this one, but journaling has helped me monitor the condition of my heart. Solomon said “above all else” we are to guard it (see Proverbs 4:23). It’s hard to do that when you lose touch with it.
6. Record significant lessons. I’m a better student when I am taking notes. Writing things down leads to even deeper understanding and, I hope, wisdom. I want to write down what I learn, so I don’t have to re-learn it later. Even if I never read it again, the very act of writing it down helps me to remember it.
7. Ask important questions. A journal is not merely a repository for the lessons I am learning but also the questions I’m asking. If there’s one thing I have discovered, it’s the quality of my questions determine the quality of my answers.

I mentioned on day one that I've always wanted to write... One thing that helps me is having the convenience of the online world and technology.  I hated to hand write because I am such a perfectionist.  However, now with all the endless possibilities of online journals and apps it is so much easier.  My current favorite app to journal is called Day One - Journal. It is available both on your iphone or mac computer.