A few years back I decided I needed to have a little more discipline, structure and drive in my life. During the process of reaching this decision, I discovered it was largely about one of the 9 qualities Christians should demonstrate: self control.
This is one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5. And these “fruits” are really proof the Holy Spirit is leading your life. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, there should be evidence of it. This evidence should be visible in the way we conduct ourselves in every area of our lives.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law."
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
I knew at that time in my life, self control was lagging. Doing the things you know you shouldn’t, not doing the things you know you should. Wishing you were different, and wanting something more, etc. (Romans 7) I knew I needed to work on this particular “fruit” in my life.
I also understood, if I desire to have it, it is my responsibility to foster and grow it. Because it is produced, it is practiced.
I decided to add 1 main discipline to my life each year. Start with 1. Practice and apply it to my life daily over the course of the year. Continue until it became part of me.
And the next year, I would add another one. And then another one the next year. I stuck to that for 6 years, and I can confidently say I am so much better for it! I could lean on those practiced disciplines through tough times, confusion and bad luck.
Which leads me to this: the second discipline I added was journaling. This was a challenge for me. I have terrible penmanship. My brain moves way faster than my hand can write.
I landed on a “5 lines a day for 5 years” journal. Short enough to keep me coming back, but long enough to write down the things going on in my life.
At first, this discipline was for me. But as months went by, I wrote out the things I did. I also noted down thoughts I had, struggles I endured, and successes I celebrated. I quickly realized this was going to be beneficial for more than just myself.
There is a quote in the finale of the show “The Office.” One of the characters reminisces on the years together working at a paper company. They had an epiphany, albeit a sadder one.
“All these years working at a paper company and I never wrote anything down.” – Phyllis Vance (Vance Refrigeration)
I watched the episode (again). It was during the middle of my first year following the 5 lines a day journal. It struck me. This discipline was going to be such a gift to my future self, but also to my children and grandchildren.
Life gets busy, we go from one thing to the next. Big changes happen. Heartbreak and celebration occur. Life changes on a daily basis. While those things feel like our whole world in the moment, that’s really what they just are: moments.
Moments come and go. They lead us to the next thing. They shape and strengthen us. They also reveal the cracks in ourselves. Moments that matter and are worth remembering. Moments that should be revisited at a later date. When we let those moments slip from our minds, we miss out on all the power those moments can offer, at a later time.
I finished my first year journaling. As I’m writing on January 1st of the second year, I take 30 seconds to read through what I wrote the previous year. I’m reminded of what I was doing, thinking, and feeling. I recall what I was pursuing and removing. I was able to use these reflections to refuel and re-energize me.
Life is fleeting, it goes by in a flash. I was tired of watching life speed by. I couldn’t confidently say what I’ve done with my life. This daily journaling discipline has allowed me to slow down the wheels of life, if only for a moment.
It is so fun to look back and read about what I did on a particular day. Or remembering a big moment in life and going back to my journal to look at how I went through it. You get to see your younger self living out these moments in life in real time. It’s such a gift to me, in many different ways.
And then, when we got pregnant with our first child I realized, this could be a wonderful gift for her! As kids, we are often operating on the belief our parent’s lives started when we entered the world. As you mature, you realize just how silly the thought was. You understand your parents had an entire life before you entered the world.
I don’t want to only share my parenting life with my kids. I want them to look back and see how I became the man they see every day. What events shaped me, how did I respond, who greatly impacted me, how did God move and speak over me.
Remembering is a powerful tool for humans. Writing is an avenue to get us to remember. And this journal, allows me to take myself back to who I was at that moment.
It’s sentimental. It’s challenging. It’s emotional and sweet. It’s incredibly beneficial to how you will live your life going forward.
Accountability in our lives is great. Having your younger self to be accountable to is a great way to stay focused. It encourages you to dream big. It pushes you to take risks. It reminds you to give your everything and keep going.
Having something for my kids to learn about my life is a precious gift. I will cherish it for as long as I live. And I can only hope it impacts them long after I’m gone.
My regret is that I didn’t start in high school. But my joy is that I started, I committed to it and I stayed disciplined. I just completed my first full 5 year journal and 7 years in total. I’m beginning my next 5 year journal now.
Imagine where you’ll be in 5 years if you start now. Then, you get to go back to where it started for you. What a gift, what an inspiration.
Give yourself the gift of remembering, and give your loved ones the gift of sharing your life with them.
Thank you Nate for this! I used to journal and for some reason I stopped. This has encouraged me to start again!
Sandi
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