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How to journal to strengthen your faith by faith based journaling. These are faith-based journaling tips for spiritual growth. And improve your faith in the process of journaling.

I have journaled for decades. I started when I was 18 and moved to Europe to be a missionary in training. I wrote down God’s promises and Bible verses and documented my life in missions. Now, looking back and reading through old journal entries, I am so glad I took the time to journal my faith and life.

As I mentioned above, I have journaled for years. However, in the last 15 years, research has proven that journaling positively impacts people’s mental and physical health. From boosting the immune system to reducing stress and anxiety, journaling improves many areas of our lives.

I know it’s helped me strengthen my faith, grow closer to God, and, in some circumstances, give me more clarity and focus when I have to make decisions.

So, I really want to encourage you. Whether you’re starting out your faith-based journaling or if you’ve been journalling for years, here are some tips I have learned to journal to strengthen your faith.

What is faith-based journaling for spiritual growth?

It’s taking time to grow spiritually.

Here is an example of my journal to strengthen my faith and for spiritual growth.

I start by writing down the dates and things I am grateful for, and then I write down a scripture or two.

After that, I write down my observations about the scripture.

Application for my life, then I write a prayer.

When I finish, I write down all the things that have been going on in my life and the lives of those I love.

Then I listen and write down any thoughts or feelings that come to mind afterwards. Taking time to listen to the Holy Spirit.

It’s actually really simple. And something anyone can do to grow in their faith.

How does faith-based journaling differ from regular journaling? The main focus is to help you grow in your relationship with God.

It’s not just about documenting your life and struggles, even though that can be part of it. It’s about connecting to the Creator, who can give you strength, and meditating on what God can and does do in our lives.

But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:2-3

Table of Contents

Set aside time to journal.
- Pick the time that works best for you.
- Put it in your calendar.
Write down things you are grateful for.
Pick a scripture or two for reflection.
Write down observations about the scripture.
Write out an application for your personal life.
Write the scripture down and pray it over your life.
Pour your heart out
- Write down and name the emotions you are feeling.
- Get creative.
Take time to listen
End with thankfulness.

Here are the first faith-based journaling tips for spiritual growth,

Set aside time to journal.

I know this is basic, but it can sometimes be the most challenging. Now, I’ve always liked journaling in the morning. For me, it just helps start my day off right. But I am a morning person who doesn’t come alive at night; I am in bed by 10, so the evening journal is out for me.

Pick the time that works best for you.

Make the time something that is doable for you and your family. A couple of years ago, I was taking my sister to radiation treatment for months. So I would sit in and have my journaling and prayer time then and after going to work. This was the only doable time available for me.

I have lived in places where privacy was difficult, so I learned if I put worship music on with headphones, I can focus on my journaling.

Honestly, I prefer a private place to journal, but if you can’t find one, adapting to the environment can help you have the time you need to journal.

Put it in your calendar.

Also, minimize distractions. Turn your phone on silent, and don’t look at it for that time.

Next, on faith-based journaling tips for spiritual growth,

Write down things you are grateful for.

There is scientific research on the power of gratitude; here is an article that emphasizes the power of gratitude as a practice.

But gratitude is so important when you want to grow spiritually. I understand that you might be in some circumstances where it’s difficult, but finding things to be grateful for can truly help you grow in faith.

My next journaling idea to strengthen your relationship with God is

Pick a scripture or two for reflection.

Picking a few scriptures for a deeper reflection and journalling about them can help you dive deeper in the Bible and grow closer to God.

You might be doing a Bible reading or going through the Bible in a year. Or you might be completely new to journaling and reading the Bible.

Wherever you are in your journal journey, take a moment or two to reflect and write down key scripture.

It helps you connect to God on a deeper level.

Here is an example from my journal time today. The Bible verses,

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

I Corinthians 13:1-3

Write down key points from the scripture.

“But I don’t have love- I’m a clanging cymbal.”

“I have faith that can move mountains but don’t have love; I am nothing.” “Give everything away, but don’t love; I gain nothing.”

When I write these points down in my journal it helps me to really connect the words to my life and thinking. Which helps me to strengthen my relationship to God.

Next, in your journal to deepen your relationship with God,

Write down observations about the scripture.

Using 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 as an example, my observation is that “love needs to be my motivation for things that I do.

An observation can be anything that stands out to you. Something that you have experienced in your life or ways that God has spoken to you through the verse.

Now here is where the journal for spiritual growth brings a change to your life.

Write out an application for your personal life.

This is where spiritual growth happens, in applying it to your life. It’s easy to read something but challenging to change. But the change that happens in our lives when we apply scripture to our lives.

Using the above verses from 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 it’s teaching us that love needs to be the motivator.

Therefore, applying love to my life needs to look like complaining less and choosing not to get upset at daily tasks. This is the application to for me right now. For you, it might be forgiving a colleague at work who gave you a hard time again.

Next, in our how-to journal to strengthen your faith, we can,

Write the scripture down and pray it over your life.

One reason to write the scripture down is that it helps with memory, recall, and memorization. Here is the science behind writing and memory.

Praying it over your life. Here is how I do that in my journal.

I write:

Jesus, help me to love like you. Let the motivation for all I do start with love and end with love.

It’s that simple.

The next part of journaling for spiritual growth is this,

Pour your heart out

Write down your struggles, fears, disappointments, and desires. Pour out what is happening in your life or anything you think might be holding you back from living.

Write down and name the emotions you are feeling.

Just the act of writing down these things can help us start to heal from life’s pain and become more resilient.

Get creative.

Everyone is different, and if you like painting, doodling, or drawing, include that in your journal. This is another way to pour your heart out in your spiritual journal.

After you have poured out your heart in your journal then

Take time to listen

This might be one of my favorite parts of journaling for spiritual growth, listening to the Holy Spirit. I know it might sound weird to some but here is what Jesus said.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:26

As you listen after you journal, it can give insight and wisdom that surprises you.

Now the last and final way is to,

End with thankfulness.

Give thanks. This is the best way to end your journal entry for the day, being grateful. It can really change your whole day. Plus the power of gratitude can change your life.

I hope these tips for spiritual journaling have inspired you to start. Starting is really the most important part, and always give yourself grace in the process.

A quick recap of the steps.