I am a somewhat sporadic journaler. Some years, I am more intentional with journaling than others. My most prolific journaling years usually happened when I was going through a difficult season.
Recently, I found a stack of journals on the lower shelf of my desk. Initially, I thought about skimming through them before deciding whether to throw them away. But the more I look at them, the more I think I don’t want to relive the experiences those journals contain. Those situations are resolved; those hurts, forgotten.
What I’ve learned with age is sometimes we journal to remember, and other times, we journal to forget.
Journaling to Forget
Processing – Journaling is a good way to process life hurts, hurdles, and hardships without dumping on friends or family members. In the pages of a journal, you can re-think, reflect, and try to make sense of the senseless. Often, anger cools and dissipates after venting your frustrations in the written word. The complexities of grief are acknowledged on journal pages. Multiple life puzzle pieces fall into place as you journal, providing a more cohesive picture that leads to next steps and forward motion.
Releasing – Journaling provides an opportunity to spew frustration, ruminate, and then release. For you, releasing may involve crossing out the words you spit onto the page, or tearing out the page and disposing of it. Unreleased hurt often manifests itself in resentment and resentment is like dragging around a ball and chain.
Forgiving – Journaling allows you to fuss and fume, and then, forgive. Unforgiveness foregoes forgetting. To fully forgive, you must release the offender from the offense.
Journaling to Remember
While journaling helps us forget, it is also a useful tool in remembering the high points in life. Remembering those experiences encourages and sustains in the harder seasons of life.
Mountain-top experiences – Wedding days, the births of children and grandchildren, first words, first steps, family get-togethers, fun trips, all qualify as mountain-top experiences. Other times, those mountain-top experiences are spiritual, times when God speaks clearly to you, providing direction and truth. Times of God-given illumination provide markers in your spiritual journey that help you sustain forward motion when your way seems dark and unsure. Documenting mountain-top experiences in a journal reassures you when you read them later.
Inspiration – I have a separate journal for writing ideas and inspirational thoughts. Sometimes, those pages are full of script on a particular topic. Other times, a lone word occupies the page as I wait for a Divine download on the subject. That page may remain unfinished for months, even years, before the idea comes to fruition. But writing that one word ensures I remember that kernel of inspiration. This week’s post resulted from five words written months ago.
Gratitude – Cultivating gratitude is enhanced by documenting praise and blessings in a journal. Often, thankfulness is a fleeting thought, but when you journal thankfulness, you remember more clearly all the ways God blesses you.
God’s faithfulness – Each week, when I finish writing this blog, I pause to thank God for His faithfulness in giving me words, yet again. Without Him, there would be no Forward Motion. Looking back, I see evidence of God’s faithfulness in all things: answered prayer, decisions, direction, difficulties, and most recently, in grief. May I never forget God’s faithfulness or fail to document it.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book, to be remembered, and tell Joshua that I will take away everything under heaven that would help you remember Amalek” (Exodus 17:14 NLV).
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is an award-winning writer, blogger, and speaker. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotions published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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