How I use my prayer journal to combat mental distraction

If you are a person of prayer, I can guarantee you are constantly distracted during your sacred time. This is natural and common, even among the greatest saints.  

Sometimes I spend my whole prayer session wandering off and bringing myself back into prayer.  

A prayer journal can be an effective tool for eliminating mental distractions by providing structure and focus to your prayer time. Here is how I use it to help me, and I believe it can help you too.  

What is the P.R.A.Y.E.R. Method

 A tool for Clarity and Organization: I use this method with my journal to clarify and organize my prayer time.  

If my mind is racing before I even start, I take 5 minutes and just write out whatever is on my mind without worrying about grammar or making any sense.  

Then I will begin with the P.R.A.Y.E.R. method  

P- I place myself in the Presence of God and offer up Praise and Thanksgiving. I like to use the psalms and take this time to write a gratitude list and get creative writing my own prayers of praise.

R- Rosary or Read- for my morning prayer I read the Bible for my mental prayer time and for my night prayer I pray the Rosary at this step.

A- Ask- this is the time make your requests known and intercede for others. I like to write lists in my journal of who and what I am praying for.  

Y- Yield- this is a time for Silence listening for the voice of God.  

E- Express- express what you hear from God, what do you believe He is saying to you? Write it down.  

R- Resolve- make a resolve based off what your heard from God. Is he asking you to do something or to not do something. If I am unsure at this point, I will simply make a resolve to show up and pray again.

How it Helps  

1.Intentionality: By setting aside dedicated time to write in my prayer journal, I've created a routine that signals my brain to concentrate on prayer, reducing the likelihood of distractions.  

2.Accountability: I use my journal as a form of self-accountability, encouraging me to stay consistent in my prayer practice and avoid distractions.  

3.Mindfulness: I find writing requires a level of mindfulness that can helps me center my thoughts and keeps me present in the moment, minimizing the intrusion of irrelevant thoughts.  

I hope this gives some inspiration and ideas for your prayer journal.  

God bless you and Happy June!