If you aren't familiar with prayer journaling and want some help getting started, check out my post titled: The Power of Prayer Journaling. For more help getting started with what supplies you need to get journaling, check out: What do I Need to Get Started Prayer Journaling?
Now into the good stuff... If you have found yourself here, you have probably at least attempted prayer journaling. Maybe you are stuck and need some ideas to keep moving. Maybe your prayer journaling entries still feel rigid and forced and you are wondering how to get into genuine conversation with God. Here are 25 prompts to help you deepen your prayer journaling practice.
At the bottom of this post, there is a free handout included with some general ideas to keep in your notebook for quick reference if you get stuck. I also recommend bookmarking this page and trying all the prompts that intrigue you!
Write letters to God.
This is one of the easiest ways to get started with prayer journaling. It flows pretty naturally once you get used to it.
Prompts for writing letters to God:
Talk to God like you would talk to a friend, tell him all the silly details in life you would tell a good friend. You can rant about stuff that has been bothering you, even things like crushes, pet peeves, anything you may tell yourself God doesn't want to hear about. Believe me, he does.
Talk to God like a father, focusing on his authority as well as the way he has provided for you the way a good father does. Give thanks to him for all he has done.
Tell God about your day. From start to finish. The whole thing.
Tell God about a difficult emotion you have been struggling with. Ask him to help you through that.
Tell God about a beautiful thing you saw or experienced today. Learning to praise God for the simple joys is a great habit to practice.
Write a letter of confession. Confessing both the big and small things to God is incredibly relieving. This is a big one to help you get real and honest with God.
Write letters to yourself.
Writing letters to yourself is fun because looking back, it is an easy way to measure progress and growth. It also illuminates how you speak to yourself. Do you give yourself as much grace as you give others? Are you critical of yourself, or do you exercise compassion? These are great things to reflect on later.
Prompts for writing letters to yourself:
Write a letter to your younger self. This can be a great way to exercise self-compassion. Tell the younger version of you that you are proud of all they did to make it to this point.
Try writing to your younger self in specific moments or stages of life such as a hard time you experienced, or a moment you were proud of yourself.
Write a letter to your older self. Encourage older you and remind yourself of all you have overcome and will continue to overcome in Christ.
Write a letter for when you are feeling down. This is a great one to write and read later. Encourage yourself with scripture and positive memories to lift your spirit.
Write a letter for when you are feeling great. I don't know about you, but in the seasons of life where things are going smoothly, I sometimes forget to lean on God. Use this letter to remind yourself who the anchor for your soul is. It will keep you grounded.
Write letters to others.
I have found this one to be extremely helpful when there are things I want to get off my chest. Angry words can do a lot of damage, but holding them in can do damage as well. Your journal is a safe place for you to say whatever you want without hurting someone. Often, I have found that my heart is softened as I bring my frustrations before the Lord in the form of writing letters to others.
Prompts for writing letters to others:
Write a letter to someone you are angry at. Get it all out, and then write a letter to God about it. Go back and reread both letters and watch how God transformed your heart. It works. I promise. We see David do this throughout the Psalms, specifically in the imprecatory psalms. They teach us the value of bringing God all of our emotions, including anger so that he can transform our hearts.
Write letters to your crushes. I promise you, it is so helpful. Sometimes there are things we want to say to someone, but it is just not the right time. Write them a letter and I bet you will feel some relief from that inner dialogue you are running in your head about your crush. It can also help you to examine your motivations for liking them.
Write letters to your future spouse. Anxiously awaiting the day you will find the one? You may not have met them yet, but you can always write them a letter. This can be helpful in a season when you feel impatient about God's plan for your love life. It gives you perspective and peace, and later on, it will be super fun to read with your spouse!
Write poetry.
Don't put any limits or rules on yourself. Write free verse, and don't worry about rhyming or anything or even if it sounds good. Just see what comes out. Try focusing on specific senses, memories, and different perspectives if you are wanting to spice things up. Most importantly don't judge your poem as you write it. If it's good, you can always edit it later. If not, it was still fun to write!
Prompts for writing poetry:
Write a poem about one of the five senses. Reflect on how vividly you experienced a specific sense in a memory, or the present moment.
Write a poem about a good or bad memory. Try writing about it from your perspective, someone else's perspective, or write from an omniscient perspective.
Write a poem from another perspective. It could be someone you love, someone you dislike, a pet, or even an inanimate object.
Write a poem from God's perspective. How would he see you? How would he respond to how you have handled difficult situations?
Make Lists.
Lists can be so satisfying to write and can help us even when we don't have beautiful words. They are so simple. I like to keep the lists I make in the back of my notebook, that way I can continue adding to them over time.
Prompts for making lists:
List your anxieties. Writing down all the things you feel anxious about can help you get unstuck when you feel yourself spiraling.
Make a list of all the great qualities God has given you. This will be hard if you struggle with self-confidence, but it is important to remember the gifts and qualities God has given you so that you can use them to glorify Him.
Make a list of all of your blessings. There is never a bad time to practice gratitude. I have found this one to be especially helpful when I am stuck in a negative mindset.
List qualities you are looking for in a future spouse. If you are single, knowing your standards and what you are looking for will save you a lot of unnecessary heartbreak in the future.
Make a list of your favorite bible verses. It's always nice to have scripture listed out for reference later. Maybe you are having a hard time and it is these scriptures you fall back on. Write them out so you don't forget them.
List your favorite quotes. People say brilliant things. Hold onto these quotes like the precious gems that they are. Look back at them and let them marinate in your mind.
Make a list of the people that truly know and love you. Feeling unloved is one of the worst feelings in the world. It is also a lie from Satan. If you are in a season where you are struggling with feeling loved and valued, hopefully, you can look at this list and find comfort.
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To download a FREE printable version of these prompts click the button below!
New posts every Sunday at 2 pm. See you next week!
I love this one. Definitely something I needed and that will be very useful