One of my most important spiritual habits is journaling through books of the Bible. The writing keeps my mind focused, and the structure forces me to apply what I’m reading to my life. It’s been a helpful part of my life for years so I wanted to share it with you. It’s not original to me, but I’m not sure who devised it.

Scripture

When I’m reading scripture, I ask the Spirit to point out one specific thing during my time in the Word that He wants me to pay attention to. I write this down.

Observation

Next I study the passage. In this section my goal is just to dig, think, and meditate. I don’t answer a set list of question, but I may journal on questions like these: What is the context that it was written in? What is the genre? What stands out to me most? What am I noticing in this passage for the first time? How is this connected to other passages in the Bible?

Application

Next I answer the question, “how does this apply to my life?” I want to translate what I’m reading into action, and the more specific I make it, the better. For instance, “today I’m going to do the dishes after dinner” is a better next step than, “I should love my wife more.” This takes practice because sometimes the Bible deals with what you do, sometimes with what you feel, and sometimes with what you desire. But applying the Word to your life is a truly life-changing habit.

Prayer

Lastly, I write out a prayer based on what I’ve read and written. I find that this focuses my prayers and gives me things to pray about I wouldn’t normally think about. If I have extra time, I’ll pray through other issues as well. But I never skip this part because I need the Holy Spirit to apply his Word to my life.

[Thank you for reading! If you are looking for a church in Boston or churches in Boston please consider giving Renewal Church a try!]