The Value of Journaling

Journaling is something that has gained a considerable following in recent years. Many people have had different ideas about what it means to journal; some think of a diary that contains the events of someone's life. However, when I say journaling, I mean more of a bullet journal idea; to organize your daily tasks, bring a sense of intentionality to each day, and track one's thoughts throughout the day. I was introduced to this concept and methodology by one of my mentors at my college. He told me that journaling helped him keep organized and on task from week to week (He did not use a strict bullet journal method, but rather a more adapted form). That is one of the beauties of journaling; it is flexible. One week's needs may vary the next. Still, by being intentional in my journaling, I focus on the significant tasks and the critical issues that I need to be aware of each week. I have found that I often use my journal for roughly six different purposes: tasks, time usage, sermon notes, Bible study notes, prayer, and as a Mind Dump.

Tasks

The notion of tasks is fairly straightforward; at the beginning of each week, I consider what tasks I need to get done, should get done, and want to get done. Then I write them out daily; this helps me know what tasks I should be working on and helps to eliminate "wasted time" because I do not have to stop to think about what I need to do next.

During seasons where I may have fewer pressing tasks every week, I may take inventory of my tasks from month to month rather than week to week.

Time Usage

About once a month, I take inventory of how I have spent my time over the span of a week. I will write out 30-minute increments ahead of time and fill in what I did for that half-hour. At the end of the week, I will tally up all my time in specific categories, such as sleeping, entertainment, prayer, Bible study, reading, working, or driving. Suppose my entertainment time exceeds my prayer, Bible study, and reading times. In that case, I know that I have spent too much time pleasing myself and need to take steps to refocus on the Lord and strive to please Him more.

Sermon Notes

Though I do not always take my sermon notes in my journal, it is something that I will do from time to time. Having my sermon notes in my journal next to all of my tasks and other items that I am frequently referencing; will push me to think on the messages more than I otherwise would. However, I will often take my sermon notes in the native Notes app of my IPad. They are then accessible from my phone and laptop for future reference, so I often go back and forth between these two notetaking methods.

Bible Study Notes

I also enjoy taking my personal Bible study notes in my journal. Because I often use Bible software to do deep research into the Word, I make it a point to use only paper when I sit down to spend time with God. I often only have a paper Bible, my journal, and pens and highlighters when I spend my time with God. Much like with the sermon notes, when I take my personal study notes in my journal, I will see them more often as I reference my task list or update my time usage pages. The result is that I have become a better meditator of the Word. However, like with the sermon notes, I will often use a journaling Bible for my personal study time. Again the notetaking method depends on the season I am in and what works better for me then.

Prayer

A more intimate aspect of my journals is the prayer sections. In the back of my journals, I keep daily prayer lists. I strive to pray through the list to begin and end my day; however, I also try to pray about the different items on my lists throughout the day as well. In addition to my prayer lists, I also practice writing down my prayers in the journal. I generally only do so when a topic is weighty on my mind, and I want to reread my prayer later to see more of my heart in that situation.

The Mind Dump

This is a phrase that I took from my spiritual mentor at college. The Mind Dump is the section of my journal where I write things down to remember; the ideas may be anything from a topical study I want to do to a recipe I want to make later. The Mind Dump is a section of the journal to write the random thoughts that come into my mind throughout the day that I do not want to lose.

The Value

Now that I have described the main sections of my journal, what value do they have? Why take the time to write all this down? The answer is to remind me. To remind myself of my finiteness, to remind myself of God's infiniteness, and to remind myself of the truths of God's Word. While it is profitable to stay organized and know what tasks I am responsible for and when they must be completed. The principal value of journaling and the significant impact that journaling has had in my life is helping me maintain the correct focus. Journaling has become an act of humbling myself and exalting God. God needs no journal because He never forgets and is never disorderly. Man benefits from a journal because he will fail and often becomes disorderly. Yes, the journal helps me "redeem the time" because I waste less time on frivolous pursuits and vain aspirations; however, the more significant benefit is the reminder of how great my God is.