Small steps to encourage you in your journal journey.
I am relatively new to having a bible journal. The idea of "writing" is very overwhelming to me. My grammar... well, lets just say it could use some fine tuning. (You will see this first hand.) I have been sketching as a learning process for about 10 years. There is a lot of effort that goes into sketching, and it can either help me or hurt me in my learning process. I would spend so much thought on the techniques of sketching, it would distract me from the small points in the lesson. However, I do have a distinct memory of the "big picture" of these lessons, and can see the sketches from that lesson. It may be pretty obvious, that I am a visual learner. So, Having a bible journal has been something I have wanted to start for a while. I felt that, for many of the same reasons you are reading this post; I could benefit from the type of learning and crafting that comes with the journal.
"Beginning was
not easy."
Beginning was not easy. I can look at the dates at the tops of my pages, and see where I might go Sunday to Sunday before writing in the journal. Those entries would be from the preachers lessons that day. Those days I would open the book up and feel like I had failed. But, not without feeling very uplifted from seeing the side notes, and sketches, and remembering how the note taking left an impact on my week. So here is your first lesson...
Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. Isaiah 41:10
Half of the battle is starting, and starting again, and possibly starting again. I realize that not knowing where to start is another big issue. [We will get to that later in this post.] But, do not get discouraged when you have a 2 week gap in your entries. Do not be afraid to make a mark on the fresh blank page. Make it a constant thought, and act on it as soon as possible. Eventually, this becomes a habit of wanting to, then a craving of having to, and finally a normal part of your routine. The importance you place on the process will increase your quality. No matter how big or small this time spent in your journal is, it is about the growth in your spiritual walk.. Which brings me to the next step.
If you have faith as small as a mustard seed... Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
There is no right or wrong, or certain amount of time that you have to put into your studies. Having a journal is about your thoughts. Your thoughts and ideas on whatever subject you choose. I think because the bible is so important to many of us, we feel overwhelmed, and probably more than anything, a bit intimidated by its importance. Not to mention, the massive amounts of information packed in those 66 books can be overwhelming. You have to be comfortable, and gain understanding on your own terms. This could be one verse that you gain some understanding from. There could be a writing that strikes your heart.
If you are like me, your attention span is short, and my; mom, wife, and work life is busy. I found a book with short devotionals, in the "Mom's Devotional Bible". I got mine on amazon prime! This one keeps it short, and you have the bible to reference each devotional all gathered into one book.
You have read your devotional, now what?
Write down these words. Exodus 34:27
The Lord was telling Moses to write down these commandments. God was having a bit of trouble getting the Israelites to follow and trust in his promises. We tend to do like the Israelite people, and put a few things before God. We put our faith in things that we can see. We are always looking for the answers to appear. Even better though, hes already commanded them to be written for us. In this case you may be looking for the answer on how to start your study, or journal. Just write it down. Some things you can write down are; a verse. Sometimes I will look up a word in the concordance, and summarize the passage surrounding the verse. Then I will ask myself a question... write that down too. I might find a reference in the verse there on the page and go to it to look for answers. When writing my prayer request, I try to be less specific by just writing the name of the person, or the issue. I tend to get wordy and fall away from my rule pretty quick. There are many printable devotional pages that give you a verse and a layout for you to write in. This could help take out a lot of the guesswork.
I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. Psalm 119:5
Having a journal is not for everyone. Some work better by reading, hearing, and can remember something without putting in anymore effort than that. They are able to reflect and recall verses and information without any visual aids. Here is why I think even for those people its important to try writing.
Often times we hear, write your goals down. Then they become a reality on paper. We are humans, and humans like tangible things. When you make God's Word a tangible item, it becomes part of you physically. It is also a study tactic. When in college preparing for an exam, you would create note cards and study them front and back. Half of the process of studying was writing the information down. That is that physical learning. Recently, I was listening to the preacher talk about the covenant, and he opened the book of Job. Guess who had just wrote an entire page dedicated to the verses cross referencing the covenant, and had summarized Jobs account of the covenant relationship. Yep, I felt so close to the Word. I patted myself on the back for a split minute. I prayed for understanding, and the knowledge of how to study. The journal allowed me to look at my notes of my study of Job, add a few, and answer some questions I might have had.
The focus here is not how pretty is your journal, how intelligent do you sound, or how many entries you have in the journal. The point is to learn and grow in Christ. The bonus is having the ability to get things off your heart and mind, on to paper and close the book. The extra bonus, is opening that book up to see what God has done for you. what he has changed with in you, and the changes around you.
Last but not least...
However, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor. Galations 6:6
Share with God! Also, use the things you have learned to help teach others. Teach others about God, teach others how to learn and study God.
