The Surprising Blessing of Journal Writing

Today, I took out my journal and read the last entry - it was written four months ago. The reason why I titled this thought "The Surprising Blessing of Journal Writing" is this: You can't even begin to understand the impact and encouragement of the entry that you're writing will provide ten years down the line as you reflect upon your past entries, we don't even write with that aim. I was reading this entry that I have written four months ago and was exhorted and encouraged in so many ways, and it has caused me to look through my journal and I have found precious words of encouragement and exhortation. Here are some things that I wrote:

"There's much I don't know and much I forget to remember."

"Grace has only become my meditations and not the blood that sustains and empowers and lives in me."

"I can talk about the kenosis, hypo-static union, the heresies concerning the person of Christ, but I am reminded that I do not cherish Him as I ought, love Him as I ought, and adore Him as I ought."

Now here is the great surprise: God in His mercy allows your former wretched self to encourage you. Now the reason I bring these entries up is because the best journal entries that I have found to be helpful are those that deal with the personal fight against sin and fight for joy that are grounded on the truths of Scripture. So here's an encouragement and exhortation to all you journal writers, and for those who don't write journals (myself included): Fill the pages of your journals with Gospel truth. This will guarantee their precious value five days, five years, ten years down the line for the truth of the glory of Christ will always be relevant to our lives. Think richly on Christ, and write richly on your pleasure, or lack of, for Him. Stay strong and God bless!