Journaling is a lost art form and mental health
tool. It takes many avenues of expression and can be a variety of sizes and
styles. Whatever fits the personality and needs of the journalist.
This is a method of documenting the events in our
life and dealing with pent up thoughts and emotions. When we do not express our
thoughts in words to a mentor or on paper in a journal, they will erupt from
our soul at inopportune times.
Sit in a quiet place and journal all of your
thoughts and feelings. In doing this, you are emptying yourself of yourself.
Do not talk, sing, pray, watch TV, listen to music or
answer your phone...just listen to your soul - your thoughts and feelings - and
wait on the Lord to come and fill you with His comforting Holy Spirit.
It may take hours...it may take days...it may take
weeks or months as it took me to get to the root of the issues which plague our
soul. This all depends on how much inner and outer clutter is in our life.
We cannot be discouraged if we are not successful when
we start journaling. It takes time to develop a new habit. Just remember that
tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our life and our God is the God of
second chances.
As we continue to journal each and every day, it
will not take long to get to the root of the issues causing us unrest. Then we
can follow the Serenity Principle and either deal with the issue(s) or place it
in God's capable hands to resolve in His timing and way.
Once we finish with our journal and go about our
day, we can stop what we are doing at the first sign of unrest in our soul or
spirit- even if we just duck into the bathroom for a few minutes.
Taking time to pray allows God to reveal the source
of these negative thoughts and emotions. Then, once God shows us the origin of
our anxiety, anger or other negative emotion, we can repent or ask for God's
help.
He may lead us to forgive, to change our focus
about the situation or to serve the person, which is hurting us. It also helps
to switch our focus to an eternal perspective and set boundaries around anything
from this temporal world, which is causing us trouble.
Does our issue really matter in the overall scheme
of eternity? If not, we can let it go and let God teach us to think like He
does about the issue.
Prayer:
Father God, we ask You to give us Your wisdom to know what situations we
can change, and which to leave in Your skillful hands. Give us the strength to
deal with the issues that You reveal are our responsibility. Then help us to turn
the rest over to You.
Help us to develop an attitude of acceptance about them. If we cannot
change them, then we can praise You for them, in them, and through
them, even for the negative things. By doing this, we end up walking in
complete serenity and in the dynamic power of Your Holy Spirit.
Thought for the Day:
What is it in your life that is causing you a
problem right now? Can you do something
about it? Then, do it! If not, then change your focus and give the problem to
God.
