Whether you are facing cancer as a patient or as a family member or caregiver, the emotions of the cancer journey can feel exhausting and overwhelming.

Sometimes you need a safe place to process what you are thinking and feeling, to help make sense of what you are experiencing.  That’s where journaling can be helpful, and that’s what this article is about.

The power of journaling

Some people have been journaling for many years. For others, it is completely new. You don’t have to be a writer. You don’t need the right words.

Whatever your experience, there is something powerful about putting your thoughts and feelings into words on pen and paper. It can also help you pray.

Journaling forces us to slow down and be present, to pay attention to what is on our heart and mind. I like this quote from the poet William Wordsworth: “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”

How to begin

To begin, find a quiet place and set aside at least 10-15 minutes. Try to slow down and pay attention to your emotions. What are you feeling right now? What is weighing on your heart?

Then open your journal and try one of these prompts.

Today I am feeling…

Today I am thankful for…

A prayer for today is…

Today I am feeling

As you slow down, what feelings or emotions are rising to the surface? If it’s helpful, try to describe them in a few words. Here were my three words the other morning: Foggy, Hoping, Seeking. By foggy, I just meant I felt tired and was having trouble focusing. Hoping, because there are some unresolved concerns, including with my health and work life, that rose to the surface. Seeking, because I am currently asking God for wisdom and help with these concerns.

Today I am thankful for

Gratitude can be a helpful practice, even in the middle of difficult circumstances. To begin, write down some things that you are grateful for. Let your list swell with specifics. Be patient. Sometimes the power of this practice comes as you spend more time noticing the things you are grateful for.

Sometimes this list will turn your attention to something new; other times it helps remind us of what we already have.

A prayer for today

Often journaling will bring your deepest cares and concerns to the surface. While writing them down is helpful, often it doesn’t feel like enough.

Prayer, or talking to God and asking for his help, is a helpful next step. I believe prayer is the most powerful thing we can do with the concerns that rise to the surface

For those who don’t feel comfortable praying, you could ask a friend to pray for you, or to learn more about how to pray, see the links at the end of this article. 

Turning your concerns into prayers

What are you worried about today? What are you afraid of? What do you need help with?

God invites us to bring our requests to him. Many verses in the Bible point us to this truth. As Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Do you know that a petition is a formal written request? As you sit with your concerns, how could you write them into a prayer to God?

Seeking peace

Some more hopeful words follow in Philippians 4: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (verse 7).”

In other words, God promises peace as you bring your requests to him. Sometimes peace can feel elusive, especially when we face unimaginably difficult circumstances.

If you feel scared or not at peace today, it doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong. You can bring your fears and concerns to God—these burdens are too heavy for you to bear alone.

Let Him bring his hope and peace to you…in his timing and through unexpected ways. Sometimes His answer may simply be helping you feel “held” in an overwhelming time.

For more about prayer, see the links at the end of this article. You can also request prayer by joining our Prayer and Support Group.

Journaling to find hope

As you continue to face the twists and turns of the journey, take time to slow down and write out your thoughts and feelings. You matter, and so does what you are experiencing.

Write your fears. Give thanks where you can and bring your deepest concerns to God. You don’t have to carry them alone.

May your journaling and prayer help bring you hope on your journey today.

 

For help with prayer, see: Asking God for Help or Praying for Loved Ones With Cancer.

Check out our Prayer and Support Group.

To read another article about journaling, see Journaling: From Dark Days to Hope.