Purpose of a Prayer Journal
Believers all over the world offer prayers to God every day, but prayer is a mysterious thing. A man might pray for something small and receive it immediately, while the big prayer that matters most to him seems to go unanswered for many years. A life of faith is filled with highs and lows, and in order to keep perspective, many believers keep prayer journals. A prayer journal is a book in which the author records specific prayers along with the date, and later, the prayer's answer with a second date. A prayer journal has several purposes.
Other People Are Reading
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Christian Tradition
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Believers who choose to keep a prayer journal today are taking part in a cherished Christian tradition while also creating a record of their faith for the next generation. The prayer journal is not a recent phenomenon. George Müller, a famous English evangelist who lived in the 1800s, is well known for his prayer journal. Monk Preston of the Prayer Foundation writes that Müller recorded his prayers in a book and never stopped praying for his requests until he could record an answer.
Proactive Faith
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A person who claims to believe in God can still spend more time worrying than praying. A prayer journal is a good way to remind yourself to pray about the problems you face. Some believers find a healthy release in simply putting their concerns into words. Recording your prayers is something proactive you can do when facing what may appear to be a helpless situation. It can be a timely reminder for people of faith that God is in control of the world.
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Deeper Faith
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The longer you keep a prayer journal, the more answered prayers you'll record. Over time, you'll have a book filled with the evidence of God's faithfulness in your life. Many believers find that during times of stress or discouragement, reading through an old prayer journal can provide renewed hope and peace.
Meaningful Prayer
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People of faith all over the world pray the famous words of others. The Lord's Prayer, for example, which Jesus used to teach his disciples how to pray, has been cherished by millions over the centuries. While common prayer can be meaningful in its own way, personalized, individual prayer can lead a person to deeper intimacy with God. Keeping a prayer journal where can you be open and honest with the Lord can lead you to a place of deeper authenticity in your faith. A prayer journal is a place where you can confess and pray about things you might not verbalize to anyone else.
Spiritual Guidance
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Believers who keep a prayer journal often come to see how God is guiding their lives. Because they are able to track both their prayers and God's answers, they can sometimes see how God's plans are different from their own. Tara Furman, author of "Intimacy with God," says that part of prayer is listening. When you choose to not only pay attention to your prayers, but also record how God responds, it will be easier for you to discern how God wants you to live.
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