3 Practical Ways Bible Journaling Spurs on Obedience
In today's post, we will look at 3 practical ways Bible journaling spurs on obedience.
This past Autumn my husband led a Sunday School class using Don Whitney's book, Spiritual Disciplines in the Christian Life. The author included journaling as a spiritual discipline. Although we don't find the Word of God referring to journaling, Don Whitney contended that the Psalmists were in essence "journaling" through the Psalms.
I do find this idea interesting...
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines journaling as follows:
: a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use :
Clearly the Psalms are not private, nor were they inspired by the Psalmists, but written by God Himself, yet the Lord used the Psalmists to record their experiences and reflections to convey God's Words.
I love this! God showed us very real, flawed human beings, recording their feelings, sometimes with laments and asking why, yet always ending with praises and affirmations of the Truth of God's Word to answer the lament through His inspiration.
I have recently taken up Bible journaling in the last year. I have been using Well Watered Women Co's. Give Me Jesus Journal which I highly recommend. The pages are laid out beginning with a section for that day's gratitude, a "be still and know" section where I usually record a standout verse from the passage I am reading, a section called "Drink Deeply from the Well" where I journal through the Bible passage I am reading, a section called "What I am Learning About God" and "How this changes the way I live" which is self-explanatory. The journal entry closes with a "Pray Big" section.
Through this process I have discovered three practical ways that Bible journaling has spurred on my obedience to the Lord.
Bible Journaling Spurs on Obedience through Seeking the Lord
Prior to Bible journaling, my Bible time would consist of me reading a chapter of the Bible a day. I would absorb as much as I could, but would become frustrated because the words I read were not becoming a part of me in a practical sense. In fact, many days, I would forget what I read... I would always think of the verse be doers of the Word and not just hearers of the Word and think, "welp Karen, you are failing miserably here". And this is coming from someone who LOVES to study the Word of God!
Maybe I'm at an unfair advantage in my claim that journaling puts the practical in being a doer of the word because my learning style is writing. When I write something down, it seems to just suction on to my brain!
Speaking from my own experience, when I've come to my desk to sit down to study God's Word with my Bible journal open, I have had more incredible insights from the Lord than I ever did just sitting down to read the Bible. {And again, I don't want to minimize that reading the Bible is absolutely essential and beneficial to EVERYONE, even without journaling. God's Word does NOT turn back void no matter how you are consuming it.} But for me and others who journal, there is something about intentionally seeking to learn about God, with pen in hand, that spurs on an enhanced understanding of a passage of Scripture.
By adding journaling as a practical element, I find that I am more apt to truly seek the Lord, to really look at the Scripture deeply, allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture and then writing those insights down. I will also record any questions or confusion I have about a passage and inevitably, the Lord will meet me there and I'll gain new insights.
To further showcase my own experience, I have journaled through the book of Numbers, a book that many may find tedious or hard to understand, in the most respectful way, of course, but they feel that way none the less - myself included, and yet I have gained SO MUCH from my study of that book by journaling those passages.
In a practical sense, Bible journaling keeps us accountable to the Word of God, by truly seeking Him with our whole heart, soul and mind, and internalizing what we have learned where we naturally become doers of the Word by walking in obedience and making His deeds known.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all His wondrous works!
Psalm 105:1
Bible Journaling Spurs on Obedience through Honoring God's Name
When we come to the Word of God with expectant hearts and record ALL that God is showing us through His Word, we are honoring His great name.
To Glory in God's Holy Name is to take pride and pleasure in.
The Westminster Catechism states that the chief end of man is to Glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
By journaling, we have a means to record that which we are struggling with, to literally write our own Psalm if you will... Recording struggles or disappointments through Bible journaling does not end there. As we seek the Lord through His Word, He will show us the answer to our struggles and disappointments, and with ink to paper, we can memorialize the Glory of God's Holy Name through His insight and answer to our circumstance.
There is just something about putting pen to paper that brings clarity to one's mind. Writing acts as a sifter dividing Truth from falsehoods.
When I have journaled through struggles with my Bible open, I can honestly say that EVERY time I have walked away from my time in the Word there is a smile on my face and joy in my heart.
In a practical sense, Bible journaling helps us to see through our circumstances to God's Holiness, as we work through the passage and through our feelings by writing these thoughts out. Indeed, our obedience to Glorify God, even in our difficult circumstances, will bring about our enjoyment of the Lord.
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His presence continually!
Psalm 105:3-4
Bible Journaling Spurs on Obedience through Remembering God's Faithfulness
A Bible Journal provides tangible evidence of God's Faithfulness. We are a forgetful people and all too easily forget God's faithfulness, ESPECIALLY when trials come upon us.
When we faithfully journal our time in the Word, we are not only building a foundation to bolster our own faith, but we are providing a legacy to our children, grandchildren and beyond.
Throughout the Israelites time in the desert, God would repeatedly remind them of the great works He had done.
We have the means to not only benefit from ALL the great works the Lord has done through the entire Bible age, BUT we have our own experiences of His faithfulness to draw from!
To me, the place where I experience God's faithfulness the most is during my Bible time, just me, the Lord and my journal. I truly feel His presence and He meets me where I'm at without fail!
He has been soo faithful to open up my eyes to a passage of Scripture in a way that I hadn't seen before, and in a way that I need just at that very moment. His faithfulness leaping off the page of my Bible and onto my journal page.
In a practical sense, Bible journaling helps us to remember God's faithfulness which spurs on our obedience to not fret, worry or complain when trials and afflictions come upon us, but to trust in the Faithful One who did not leave us or forsake us before and WILL NOT now.
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In Psalm 105, excerpts of which I have been quoting throughout this post, the Lord recounts His faithfulness from Abraham through to bringing the Israelites to the Promised Land, and He closes with the following:
that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 105:45
I believe Bible Journaling will spur on our obedience to do just that.
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I like your points here. I was just yesterday looking through a Bible that belonged to my grandmother. I remember she seemed to always be studying it. It appears that she was Bible journaling long before Bible journaling was a thing! :) It's a great way to study God's Word!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
Hi Patsy, Oh! What a beautiful legacy she has left you!
DeleteIndeed!
Thanks so much for stopping by. :-)
These are all great reasons! I used to journal as part of my quiet time, but quit when my writing seemed to take more time than my reading. But I've just started back with a bullet-type journal and sometimes a longer entry. It does reinforce what we learn and help us to remember it when we write about it. And sometimes I think things out by writing through them.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, Thanks for sharing how journaling has enriched your Bible study time.
DeleteAnd thanks so much for stopping by. :-)
I have never thought of the Psalms as the Psalmists journaling their thoughts and feelings, but that is such a neat way to look at it. The thought has occurred to me many times that David must have suffered from depression. His words seem so heart-wrenched and even hopeless, at times, but you are right, he always ends with praise and gratitude. I totally agree about journaling being so important so we can go back later and read and be reminded of all God has done. I am so forgetful, too, and it is amazing how much I forget and would never remember again without going back and reading over things like this. Thank you so much for another insightful, edifying post, sweet friend. Much love to you and gratitude for all you do!
ReplyDeleteHi Cheryl, I am so thankful that the Lord had so many flawed characters to tell HIS story in the Bible, a story of provision, redemption and faithfulness, and oh what an encouragement it is to all of us who read that even though we struggle, the Lord understands and will once again say, "I am here, I will never leave you or forsake you."
DeleteYou are very welcome sweet friend!
Sending much love and gratitude to you!
Research suggests that as far as our brain is concerned, it’s as if we were doing that thing. Writing it down serves as a mini-rehearsal for doing. We are taught to be doers of the word and not hearers/readers only. Writing those journal entries may just catapult us into action more quickly. Great post.
ReplyDeleteLove how you phrased that. "Writing id down serves as a mini-rehearsal for doing" We are taught to be doers of the word and not hearers/readers only."
DeleteThanks so much for adding great insights to the conversation! And thanks so much for stopping by.
Thank you. :-)
When I started reading the Bible in earnest back in 2014, I started by writing every scripture I was reading in a Journal because I thought that would help me remember and understand. Soon after, I found groups that went farther with the journaling to illustrate how they pictured the scriptures. I also found digital graphics helped with one group. I was raised with the words to never write in a Bible. Respect it. Well, I soon learned that if you don't have hands on, write on it, that God doesn't mind. He only minds if we're not invested in what he's teaching us. Great reminder post about journaling as a way of keeping interest in reading through the Bible. Have a great week. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Peabea, Thank you so much for sharing your journaling story.
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by.
And you have a great week as well!
I'm not as good at writing down what God is teaching me as I could be. My journal is hit and miss, but when I find something that really strikes me I do my best to write it down and yes, I do remember it better and longer for simply having written it down - and then I can be reminded of it later as well. Good word!
ReplyDeleteHi Kym , Thanks so much for sharing your experience with writing things down while reading your Bible. I think every one has different learning styles. No matter what, we know that the Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance that which we need as we faithfully read the Word.
DeleteThank you and thanks so much for stopping by. :-)