What is your Practice #1

What is your Practice? What activity do you actively, regularly do to help you draw closer to God? There are a few things that I have done over the years and even more recently that I am finding helpful for my spiritual development.

I think that the first thing I would like to share is the practice of journaling. I have written in journals for many years. I think that, even though we have moved too many times, I could still find a notebook that I used in Viet Nam over 50 years ago.

It may be good to mention that I don’t think you have to journal in order to be growing spiritually. I am only sharing what has helped me and a little of how it has helped me.

Journals like the proverbial diary are very personal. This is a place where I can put all of my thoughts on paper and look at them. Sometimes this is definitely not something I want others seeing. But it can be very helpful in really seeing what I am thinking and in coming to actions necessary to improve situations.

In my journaling in recent years I have tried to start my journal entries with at least three statements of thanks. I usually address these to my Father in Heaven. This practice has helped me to appreciate things that I had not considered blessings. This has included big things like a healthy new baby and little things like hot coffee. It has also come to include things that we don’t often think of, like the loss of a loved one or a financial setback. There are many scriptures to support this but just one is 1st Thessalonians 5:18.

Journaling has also been very helpful in better understanding of God’s will. Many times, when I have a question or a problem about what to do or what a scripture means, I will write the question in my journal and as I am writing the question, I begin to understand the answer. Then I write the answer that I see, so that I can pray about that.

These are just a few of the benefits that I have found, journaling. I hope you will think about it and see if it is not a tool or practice that might be helpful for you.

Journalers please comment.

Be Faithful, Rick