by Melissa Meyers
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances
What do Miriam, Jeremiah, and Mary all have in common? Who would you say the greatest songwriters, poets, and reflective writers of the Bible are? The scriptures are teaming with writers inspired by the Holy Spirit. For example, after God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites cross to safety after 430 years in captivity, Moses leads the group in a time of worship and song. Miriam breaks out her tambourines and leads the women to sing and dance.
Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea (Exodus 15: 21). Can’t you just picture the celebration dancing?
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, put his pen to papyrus and wrote out funeral song after funeral song to prophesize the tragic destruction of the beloved city of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. This unique poetic form eventually became the book of Lamentations.
When Elizabeth saw her cousin Mary, the baby leaped inside of her and she exclaimed, God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Luke 1: 42 Mary responds with an eloquent song of celebration that starts, Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! Luke 1: 47
But when it comes to someone who was a prolific songwriter, poet, and gratitude journalist, King David could take the Nobel prize of literature. Seventy-five psalms are attributed to him. Inspired by God to confess his inmost thoughts, his psalms takes us on a journey of the human condition. They lead us to the beauty of God’s goodness in the face of adversity EVERY single time. Maybe I am stretching it a bit to call him a gratitude journalist, but his psalms read like a personal journal that points to hope. He holds nothing back. Time and again, we read his fears, his despairs, and his confessions. Each time, we are taken to the lowest point, a ray breaks forth illuminating the darkness leading us back to the goodness of God in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13.
Of course, the scripture writers were divinely inspired and that is why their words hold so much beauty and power. The Holy Spirit guided them in their writings for future generations to hear the truth of the gospel. Even though we today are not adding to the Cannon of Scripture, God can use the process of writing down our thoughts to help us find truth today. Biblical gratitude journaling is not about the power of positive thinking, but it IS about finding the hope of Christ within the every day drudge. There is no better example of this than in the Psalms. Sometimes, you might have to write down first where and why life is hard, and then search through it and see if there is a thread of goodness. Grasp it and record it.
That’s gratitude journaling. When you regularly practice it, the threads easily unwind off the spool of life, and your heart will begin to overflow with praise and thanksgiving. Even in the midst of hardships.
On a practical level, there are many types of gratitude journals. In reality all you need is a dedicated notebook or journal. I journal at night, as I like to reflect back on my day. In the morning before your day begins might also be a meaningful time to do it. I have used a journal where I recorded three things I was grateful for each day. Other times, I like to freely journal my thoughts and then write down what I am thankful for despite the challenges.
