Hearing Him Part Three: Journal Writing

If you're interested in reading more about Hearing Him, here are links to part one and part two. This entry is about journal writing; I find that writing in a personal journal is very helpful for recognizing the voice of the Lord in my life.

I often write about experiences where I believe I have been inspired; this helps me clarify my thoughts about what I've received, and in many cases I have received additional details about revelatory experiences while writing them down. The act of writing forces me to further consider what happened, and in many cases this focuses my mind in a way that allows the Lord to speak to me. He taught:

I will ^atell you in your mind and in your ^bheart, by the ^cHoly Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

I find that quiet reflection on these experiences - in this case brought on by writing in my journal - prepares my mind and my heart for further clarity from the Holy Ghost.

I will also often write about how I recognized the voice of the Lord; it doesn't always happen in exactly the same way, and it is almost always subtle. Sometimes I don't immediately recognize it, and sometimes I don't recognize the experience until after the opportunity to act on it has passed. However, even in these cases the Spirit will sometimes help me realize what I could have done differently to more completely recognize inspiration. Writing about how I've received revelation naturally causes me to think more about that process, and over time I improve in understanding.

Writing about these experiences also helps me value them, and helps me demonstrate the same to the Lord. I have learned that honoring the things the Lord has told me to do today makes it more likely that I will further understand His will for me tomorrow.

Last, I do read my journals from time to time. When I do so, I'm often seeking to better understand or remember something that happened, and I am very grateful for having written something. I often learn more when re-reading these experiences; I have now had several experiences that seem to teach me more each year rather than fading from memory. I am grateful for every word I've written about them.