20 Journal Prompts: Heart-To-Heart With God
Journaling is a valuable tool to deepen our relationship with God.
Writing down our prayers and keeping a record of what God speaks to us and teaches us helps us understand what He is doing in our lives and in our current season. Journaling also helps us look back over our history with God to see how much we’ve grown in our relationship with Him over the years.
Although I have always kept a record of my relationship with God, it was only last year that I began to practice what I call “heart-to-heart journaling.”
What is Heart-To-Heart Journaling?
Building Intimacy: The Power of Heart-to-Heart Journaling with God
This “heart-to-heart journal” is a separate journal specifically focused on connecting with God’s heart and our heart. It’s a combination of personal reflection and relational Bible study.
This idea is built on Psalm 37:4 which tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord. This means we focus on seeking Him in order to know Him personally. We get to know His ways and not just His outward acts of power or blessing (Psalm 103:7).
The Practice of Journaling
Building an Eternal Relationship One Page at a Time
Think about this: if we’re going to spend eternity with Jesus, we should really get to know Him now. If we don’t enjoy Him now, why would we enjoy being with Him forever?
This type of intentional journaling helps us cultivate our love for the Lord as we search out His preferences and personality as revealed in His Word.
If we search the Scriptures we will see there are patterns to God’s ways and mysteries about His personality. Afterall, we were made in His image and likeness, meaning that the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) have likes and dislikes just as we do.
Below are 20 journal prompts to get you started in your heart-to-heart journal.
Journal Prompt Ideas
Who you’ve seen the Lord to be in your life (Savior, Healer, Friend, etc.)
What He has spoken to you personally in the past
Your favorite promises He has made in His Word
Your heartfelt prayers to the Lord
Original poetry / song lyrics about Jesus
Repeated phrases Jesus said in the Gospels and Revelation
Repeated actions of Jesus in the Gospels (eating, healing people, praying, etc.)
Studying the Song of Solomon to discover Jesus our Bridegroom
Symbols in the teachings and parables of Jesus in the Gospels (sheep, fruit, lilies, etc.)
What Jesus said about God the Father in the Gospels
What Jesus said about the Holy Spirit in the Gospels
Repeated phrases the Father said in the Old Testament (all your heart, seek Me, etc.)
Search the Scriptures for what pleases the Father (Hebrews 11:6; 1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 147:11, etc.)
God’s references to gardens and plants
Who God is seeking and looking for (John 4:23-24; Isaiah 64:2; Isaiah 57:15, etc.)
Jesus’ words to Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42
Words that you like
Activities and hobbies you like (singing, gardening, cooking, sports, painting, etc.)
Verses with colors / numbers / animals you like
Calligraphy of your favorite Bible verses
Bible study is more than learning history, geography and original word meanings. It’s ultimately about understanding God as a Person and what pleases Him so we can love Him better and know Him deeper.
Biblical Benefits of Journaling
Penning His Promises: Anchoring Your Faith Through Journaling
The act of journaling is not only beneficial for our personal growth but is also supported by scripture.
God said in Isaiah 64:5 that He meets those who remember Him in His ways. As we review our journals of our history with God, He meets us because we are reviewing all He has taught us over the years.
You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness,
Who remembers You in Your ways…
God also instructed the prophet Habakkuk to write the vision so that the messenger could run with it after they read it. Writing our history with God and reading it over helps us continue running toward the purposes of God for us.
Habakkuk 2:2,
Then the Lord answered me and said:
'Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.'"
Jesus instructed John to write everything he had seen and heard in his visions:
Jesus told him in Revelation 1:19,
Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
There is something special about writing down the journey of our relationship with God.
Which journal prompt resonated with you the most?