Write It Down

It'll help you remember.

The act of physically writing something down holds a lot of power. Just like how handwriting notes in class helps you retain the information better. For someone like me, it's a helpful tool for my more photographic memory. Writing things down also helps them to be more concrete, more permanent (even if that permanence is just in our mind).

Keeping a record is important for history, and it's important for your spiritual life. I'm here to tell you why you should start writing down your prayer request + things you're thankful for.

We all go through hard seasons in life, seasons where we seem to be praying for the same thing over and over. I am no stranger to this either. There was a point in my life where it seemed I had one prayer request on repeat - for years. It started to feel daunting to bring the same request before the Lord over again.

But I wrote it down.

What seemed like a long time after that particular storm had passed, I found those prayers again in my old journal. What joy spread through me as I realized the Lord had been faithful and heard my cries! He had answered my prayer - not on my timeline or how I expected, but He answered it.

More recently, I have felt like I have been in a similar funk of asking for the same things. Desperate to hear from God. So I started a list of prayers for myself and others. The other day I felt overwhelmed, so stressed about where I was in life that it felt I couldn't breathe. I truthfully didn't have the energy to pray, so I went to my list and realized that half the things on there I had forgotten about, but undoubtedly seen the Lord work in! I was so grateful to have written those requests down so that I was unable to miss the Lord's goodness in those battles.

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The story of Job has seemed to pop up in so many conversations for me recently. Job is a story I clung to in that dark period a few years ago. I thought, surely if Job can make it through these trials and remain faithful, I can do the same. As I read through the accounts of his loss and his pain I highlighted Job 22:22-23

"Listen to His instructions and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored - so clean up your life." (NLT)

Store God's instructions in your heart! Read His word, meditate on it, write it down. Ingrain it in you so that you will never be without His guidance.

I write everything down: to-do lists, homework assignments, daily schedules, notes from a phone call, and prayers. But none is as important as the last!

If you get like me during a season of waiting and unknown and feel like God isn't listening or responding, be encouraged by this passage in Job 35 -

"But it is wrong to say God doesn't listen, to say the Almighty isn't concerned. You say you can't see Him, but He will bring justice if you will only wait." (Job 35: 13-14)

Our gracious Father is listening, He hears your cries and He cares for you. Both big and small. God cares that you have a broken heart, He cares that you feel alone, He cares that you're struggling. You may not understand at the time - or maybe even ever - why you are going through a trial but rest in the fact that the Lord is good and He is present. Consume His word, write down your request, and reflect on His faithfulness in your life.

I encourage each of you to start a list of prayer requests and praises that you want to share with the Lord. Bring your request before Him and look back on all He has done, and be expectant of what He is going to do. He hears you & He is working!