S.O.A.P. Journaling

How do you feed your soul? How will you become spiritually strong?

Journaling is an excellent way to both record and process what God has spoken to you. It’s also a useful tool to reflect on and review some of the ‘learnings’ that you have received. Without writing them down, you may forget those blessings and some very important lessons! And while journaling is a very personal time with the Lord, you may want to share some of your daily journaling with your core group, or others who don’t yet know Jesus. By discussing what you learn with others, you may be able to look deeper into what God is speaking to you, gain new insight and even encourage others.

S = SCRIPTURE: What? Select the passage of Scripture for today’s reading. Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Then take time reading to hear from God. When you are done, look for the verse(s) that spoke to you that day, and copy into your journal.

O = OBSERVATION: So What? What is the meaning of what you’ve just read? What is the author intending to communicate to his readers? Paraphrase and write the meaning in your own words in your journal.

A = APPLICATION: Now What? Personalize what you have read by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write down how you would obey this Scripture in your life today. Include a statement that starts “I will ”

P = PRAYER This can be as simple as asking God to help you obey this Scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Now, write it out.

It may be helpful to create an Index at the front of your journal that helps you find a particular journal entry in the future that spoke to you. Each day, copy the Date, Key Verse, Main Idea, and Page Number into your Index.

Now SHARE what God has taught you with someone else. As you discover how to follow Jesus, help others around you to follow Jesus.

Reference: Wayne Cordeiro, New Hope Christian Fellowship.