Journaling With Your Past to Find Grace for Today

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Journaling With Your Past to Find Grace for Today

The rear-view mirror

We all have a “rear-view mirror” for our lives.

Sometimes we get stuck looking at it.

Maybe we are looking at a season of our past with fondness. We view it with such nostalgia that our present feels dull in comparison. We miss who we used to be. We miss a life that felt simpler. It brings a soft ache for “what was.”

Or maybe we are looking back at a hard time. We see a season of grief. We see a season of hurt. We are still carrying the ghosts of it. We let it define our “today.”

A Place of Wisdom, Not Residence

Our past is a powerful place.

But it is not a place to live. It is a place of wisdom.

Think of your past as a library. You visit it to learn. You do not stay there to sleep.

In our journals, we can journey back. We do not go back to get stuck. We go back to gather the lessons. We go back to honour the memories. We go back to see the beautiful, steady hand of God. He was there even when you couldn’t feel it.

As Psalm 77:11 says:

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.”

pSALM 77:11

Your journal is where you can look back. It is where you can intentionally remember His faithfulness.

yOUR pROMPTS

Prompts for a Conversation With Your Past

Use these prompts to visit the library of your life.

  • A Sweet Memory: “What is one simple, beautiful memory from a past season that brings a quiet smile? What part of that feeling can I invite into my life today?”
  • A Letter to Her: “Write a short, kind note to your younger self. What is one thing you would thank her for? What is one thing you would tell her to ‘let go’ of?”
  • Finding the Grace: “Think of a hard season you navigated. Looking back now, where can you see God’s quiet, holding grace? Where was He when you were hurting?”
  • A Quiet Release: “What is one story from my past that I am ready to stop telling? What is the new story I can tell about my strength? What is the new story about God’s faithfulness?”

yOUR ACTION PLAN

Your Action Point: An “Anchor of Faithfulness” List

When we fear the future, we must look at the proof in the past.

  1. Turn to a new, fresh page in your journal.
  2. Title it: “He Has Always Held Me.”
  3. List 3-5 specific times from your past.
    • When did God clearly make a way?
    • When did He provide for you?
    • When did He bring you through a difficult valley?

The next time you are worried about your future, turn to this page.

Let the proof of your past be the anchor for your present.

With grace, Debbera