The Narrow Way

Have you ever thrown away things you should’ve treasured?

Just last week, the day after Christmas, I discovered eleven years of sacred conversations hidden in a cabinet in my office, and I almost discarded them. As I rummaged through my home office, thinking it was a typical “new year” clean-up, I pulled out old papers, bills, and other documents that no longer needed to be kept. Among the trash, I found several treasures we had tucked away in some drawers, but I’ll write more about that later. In one cabinet, I found several neatly stacked journals, and as I pulled them out to toss them into the large trash can to “turn a new leaf,” something urged me to stop. I selected one and began to read.

It’s heavy to realize that after eleven years of journaling, you’ve come so far—and yet, in some ways, you haven’t moved an inch.

As I sat there, shaking my head at some of the words I had written, still tempted to throw them away, I began to sense the Lord ministering to me and speaking through those pages, sometimes echoing the psalms of David from his time in the wilderness. It dawned on me that there may be parts of these journals the Lord might want to use to help someone else.

I understand that those of us who journal have different approaches. My journals are a chaotic collection of “all the things.” I tend to jot down ideas for sermons I might preach (though I rarely do) or books I want to write that I don’t seem to have time for. But I also record my conversations with the Lord. He always speaks to me when I seek Him, whether I am sitting in His presence with His Word before me in peace or in brokenness; when I call, He answers.

I am going to begin sharing some of my sacred exchanges with the Lord that I discovered deep within the pages of my many journals. God’s words to me are sacred, and while some words are just for me, I believe His words are worth sharing, and maybe God will use one or two of these simple words to encourage you in your own sacred exchange with your Heavenly Father.

Here is what you can expect as I share the words of my journal: Suffering is inevitable, oppression is defeatable, God’s will is discernible, gratitude is invaluable, and redemption is available.

Maybe it’s also time for you to find those old journals, pry open those dusty pages,and let the testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness cry out to you as you begin this next year.