Friday’s Reflection
JOURNAL WRITING invites us into a no-holds-barred, frank conversation with ourselves. Such a conversation not only allows openness but also demands an honesty we might not find with anyone else. The space this creates allows us to speak accurately about our condition.
At times I have found it helpful to accurately identify emotions such as anger, fear, and even animosity. My grandmother used to say, “Half the medication is calling the illness by its name.” However, in my vocation as a pastor, I am not comfortable, nor would many around me feel comfortable, if I admitted having these strong and often dreaded emotions. I therefore more often speak of my anger as disappointment, my fear as concern, and my animosity as discomfort.
In seeking my grandmother’s “half the medicine,” journaling often has provided me with space for honesty in naming.
- Journeying Through the Days 2011
From “Chasing Words, Chasing Light” by R. Grace Imathiu, in Journeying Through the Days 2011: A Calendar and Journal for Personal Reflection. Copyright © 2010 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/. Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
Do you keep a journal for spiritual growth? Why or why not? Share your reflections.
Today’s Scripture Reading
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