Some days, you plow through the day only to realize you never got around to your usual quiet time. It happens. Days like these can be plentiful during busy seasons of work, motherhood, ministry, and just life in general.
And by the time you finally have a quiet moment, your mind can feel completely “fried.” You want to spend some time with the Lord, but you don't even know what to journal about.
If nighttime is the only moment you have to snag a little time alone, you can still end your day intentionally focused on the Lord.
Here are three MORE journal prompts from inside the Be Transformed Journal that you can use when you only have 10 minutes to pause, reset your thoughts, and spend some intentional time with God—whether that's during the day or at night.
1. Reflect & Correct
Identify the thoughts weighing on you and replace them with the truth of God's Word.
2. Biblical Affirmations
Write down the biblical truths you need to remember, carry with you, and say out loud!
3. End-of-Day PTLs (Praise the Lord)
Reflect on your day, celebrate your wins, and praise the Lord for His goodness.
REFLECT & CORRECT
Take a moment to ponder: Are there any negative thoughts, overwhelming emotions, or lies you may be believing?
Bring those thoughts before the Lord and ask Him to show you what is true. Then, replace what isn't true with the truth of His Word.
Write that truth down. Let it take the place of the thoughts that have been weighing you down.
Why does this matter?
Our thoughts have a way of becoming beliefs when we repeat them often enough.
I confess, I'm the worst at this! I can so easily let wrong thinking take over and, before I know it, I allow those thoughts to shape my entire day. And if we're not careful, those patterns of thinking can eventually become patterns of living.
Honestly, this is part of the reason why I created this journal. I desperately want to keep my own thoughts anchored in truth, and I know I'm not the only one who needs that reminder.
That's why it's so important to slow down and examine what we're thinking instead of automatically accepting every thought as truth.
Reflect & Correct gives you a place to stop and ask, Is this actually true?
Then, we take that thought to God's Word and allow His truth to correct what we've been believing.
This is part of what it means to renew our minds.
BIBLICAL AFFIRMATIONS
Look back at what you wrote in Reflect & Correct. Ask the Lord to reveal the biblical truths you need to remember today.
You can also ask yourself:
Who is God?
What does the Bible say about Him?
What does the Bible say about me?
Open God's Word and search for the answers. Invite the Holy Spirit to lead you to the Scriptures you need in this particular season.
Maybe you need to remember that God fights for you.
Maybe you need to remember that He is your provider.
Maybe you need to remember that you are loved and, therefore, capable of loving. Or that YOU are chosen, forgiven, and never alone.
Write those truths down. Speak them. Meditate on them. Come back to them when your thoughts begin to wander.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Matthew 12:34 (NKJV)
END-OF-DAY PTLs (PRAISE THE LORD)
Before you go to bed, take a moment to reflect on your day. What moments can you praise the Lord for? What prayers were answered? What were your wins, big or small?
It's easy to focus on what went wrong, but taking time to recognize God's goodness helps shift our focus back to all He has done.
End your day with gratitude. Look for His goodness, celebrate the small victories, and give Him praise for carrying you through another day.
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
Psalm 34:8 (NKJV)
You Don't Have to Do It All
I confess, there are many days when I don’t fill out every journaling prompt.
Remember, these prompts aren't another checklist to complete. If you only have a few minutes, choose the one that speaks to where you are.
Maybe your mind is racing and you need to Reflect & Correct.
Maybe you're struggling with negative thoughts and need to remind yourself of God's truth through Biblical Affirmations.
Or maybe it's the end of a long day and you simply need to stop and recognize God's goodness through End-of-Day PTLs.
There is no perfect way to spend time with God. The goal isn't to finish every prompt or check it off just to say you did it. The goal is to intentionally turn your heart toward Him.
