From Pain to Peace: The Value of Journaling

This year has definitely been a year of struggle and changes – due to a virus no one could control! As with all viruses, we know that “this too shall pass.” Viruses run their course. However... During the past six months, people have had to be separated from loved ones, had important events cancelled, been forced to work at home, and at the very least we have all been forced to wear an uncomfortable face mask whenever we leave home. Many have been left feeling isolated and somewhat depressed. How can we deal with these feelings? One important discipline that I learned during the aftermath of surviving brain surgery and fibromyalgia, as chronicled in my book, Supernatural Rescue, was the value of journaling. I was in an empty, “vegetable-like” state after my brain surgery, unable to walk, think, or speak without difficulty. All I seemed to be able to do was put my face in my hands and cry, not knowing how to process my feelings. My home health care nurse gave me the best possible, but very unexpected advice, “Write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal.” In the beginning, I could not read my own handwriting, but in the long run it helped me recognize that somehow there was a purpose to the pain. It served the important purpose of allowing me to creatively process my journey through pain and suffering. It also became a roadmap for the book. Here are a couple of different ways to journal. 1. One way to journal is to write down your thoughts and feelings regarding daily events in a diary. While this might not necessarily be done every day, make it a goal to write in it at least several times a week. It is very important to get your feelings “out” and on paper. As you express them in written form it will help serve as a therapeutic way to release them to a degree from your physical body, helping to ease your stress and tension. 2. A second form of journal writing can be in the form of prayer journaling. In this style of journaling I regularly write down my daily concerns and prayer requests and consciously give those over to God. I urge you to leave a space after each request in order to go back later to record the date and time that God provided an answer to that prayer. Keep in mind, the answer could be “Yes, No, or, to be answered later in time.” As you spend more time in this process, in time you will feel a release from holding on to all your fears, heartaches, and concerns. In time, I have been able to better emulate the prayer that Jesus prayed, “Lord, not my will, but your will be done.” Sometimes we don’t know how to pray, but scripture tells us in Romans that, as believers, God’s Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Continue to pour out your heart to God. Remember, God promises us in Jeremiah that he has a good plan for our future. Allow Him to have a greater presence in your life. May God bless you as you make the choices and decisions to be emotionally and spiritually healthy!