Table Of Contents
I’ll be honest with you. I used to be that person who would pray the same rushed prayer every night, thank God for “everything,” and then immediately scroll through my phone until I fell asleep. Sound familiar? My prayer life felt like checking off a to-do list item rather than having a real conversation with my Heavenly Father.
That all changed a couple of years ago when I stumbled upon something so simple, yet so powerful, that it completely transformed my relationship with God: a Christian gratitude journal.
What Is a Christian Gratitude Journal and Why Does It Matter?
A Christian gratitude journal is more than just a diary where you jot down nice things that happened during your day. It’s a dedicated space where you intentionally recognize and record God’s blessings, answered prayers, and the ways He’s moving in your life, both big and small.
The Bible is actually packed with reminders about thanksgiving. Psalm 100:4 tells us, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” But if I’m being real, I wasn’t exactly “entering His gates” with much thanksgiving. I was more like stumbling through them half-awake, mumbling generic thank-yous.
When I started using a faith-based gratitude journal with scripture prompts, everything shifted. Having those Bible verses right there on the page made it feel less like homework and more like a conversation with an old friend.
My Christian Gratitude Journal Journey (The Messy Truth)
Let me paint you a picture. I was having one of those weeks. You know the kind, where your car makes a weird noise you can’t afford to fix, someone makes an offhanded comment that you fixate on for way too long and then you burn dinner for the third time because you’re just too mentally exhausted to care.
I was just lettings all of these things that kept happening brew. Dwelling on them. Giving them way more attention they deserved while mindlessly scrolling through TikTok when I saw that cliche you only see in movies where a TV commercial said something that stopped me. “Are you mentally exhausted?” (yep) “Feel like nothing is going your way?” (oh yeah) “having trouble seeing the good instead of the bad?” (most certainly) “Well have you tried writing them down? Like Actually thinking of things your grateful for and writing them down?” and then she goes on to tell a sappy story about how she started writing down what she’s grateful for, and how it really helped her to make good things the focus of her day instead of bad things. Things that God blessed her with that day that she almost forgot about.
I almost laughed. Grateful? Lady, My yard is infested with fleas, I’ve got like 20 bucks left for the next two weeks, and I’m exhausted!
But this woman pulled out this beautiful journal and showed entries where she’d written things like “grateful for the red light that made me late because it probably saved me from an accident I’ll never know about.”
That perspective hit differently.
So I went home and grabbed an old notebook from my junk drawer. I didn’t have a fancy Christian gratitude journal yet (that came later), but I had a pen and a willing heart. At the top of the page, I wrote “Things God Did Today That I Almost didn’t think about.”
Here’s what I wrote:
- I woke up today healthy
- My boyfriend woke up today healthy
- My parents woke up today healthy
Now, My start was kind of rough. I was so used to seeing the bad it was pretty hard to even remember what happened outside of the bad things. But i kept it going. Each day I have more and more things to be grateful about, a lot of them have been that way since way before I started writing them down. I was just able to recognize them now.
The Biblical Foundation for a Christian Gratitude Journal
The practice of gratitude isn’t some trendy self-help trick. It’s deeply rooted in Scripture. Our God is worthy of praise in all circumstances, not just when life is going smoothly.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Notice it says “in everything,” not “for everything.” We don’t thank God for the hardship itself, but we can thank Him in the midst of it, for His presence, His strength, His promises.
When I started my Christian gratitude journal practice, this verse became my anchor. Some days, I could list twenty blessings. Other days? It was more like “grateful I got out of bed” and “God’s mercy is upon me even when I’m grumpy.” Both counted.
The Apostle Paul wrote many of his letters from prison, yet Philippians is overflowing with joy and thanksgiving. If Paul could practice gratitude while chained up, I figured I could practice it while sitting in my comfy chair with my pumpkin spice coffee.
How to Start Your Christian Gratitude Journal (The Practical Stuff)
Starting a Christian gratitude journal doesn’t require a theology degree or perfect handwriting. Here’s what worked for me:
1. Choose Your Journal
While I started with that random notebook, I eventually invested in a proper Christian devotional journal designed for gratitude, and it made a genuine difference. These journals often include Scripture verses, prompts, and space for prayer requests. Having that structure helped on days when my brain felt like mush and I couldn’t think of what to write. You can use whatever feel good to you!
2. Pick a Consistent Time
I’m not a morning person. I’ve tried to be since I became an adult, and it’s just not happening. (Thank goodness I can schedule these posts for 8 am, because I’m sitting here writing this one at 3:34 am) So I do my Christian gratitude journal time in the evening, right after dinner and before the evening chaos begins. You do you. God’s available 24/7.
3. Start Small
Don’t pressure yourself to fill pages. Start with three things. Just three. Some days, it might be:
- Hot water for my shower
- The barista who spelled my name right
- Philippians 4:6-7
Yes, verses count! Sometimes the most grateful thing is remembering what God’s Word says.
4. Be Specific
Instead of “I’m grateful for my family,” try “I’m grateful my son helped carry in groceries without being asked.” Specific gratitude hits different. It trains your brain to notice God’s fingerprints in the details.
5. Include Scripture
This is what makes a gratitude journal specifically Christian. Pair your gratitude with God’s Word. Psalm 107:1 says, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” When I write about something I’m grateful for, I often include a verse that relates to it.
The Science Behind a Christian Gratitude Journal (Faith Meets Facts)
Here’s something cool: science actually backs up what the Bible has been saying all along. According to research from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, people who keep gratitude journals experience increased happiness, better sleep, and reduced symptoms of depression.
But here’s where it gets really interesting for us believers. When you combine gratitude practices with faith, the benefits are even more profound. A study found that Christianity-based gratitude programs improved well-being, life satisfaction, and interpersonal engagement.
God designed us to thrive in thanksgiving. It’s not just spiritual fluff. It’s literally how our brains are wired to find joy and contentment.
Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
A Christian gratitude journal is essentially the practical application of this verse. We’re training our minds to focus on what’s lovely, pure, and praiseworthy instead of dwelling on what’s going wrong.
What to Write in Your Christian Gratitude Journal
Still feeling stuck? Here are some prompts that have helped me:
- A prayer God answered (even small ones!)
- A Bible verse that spoke to you today
- A person who showed you kindness
- A lesson you learned through difficulty
- Something beautiful you noticed in creation
- A way God provided for you
- A spiritual growth moment
- Something that made you laugh (yes, humor is a gift from God!)
God has a sense of humor, folks. Don’t be afraid to notice it.
The Stuff You’ll Need for Christian Gratitude Journaling
Beyond the journal itself, I’ve found a few tools that make this practice more enjoyable:
A good set of Bible journaling pens that don’t bleed through pages made a huge difference for me. I’m the kind of person who appreciates color-coding my gratitude by category. Blue for provision, green for nature, purple for spiritual growth. It’s extra, but it makes me happy.
I also keep a devotional book nearby. Sometimes reading how others have walked with God sparks my own gratitude. It reminds me that I’m part of this huge, beautiful faith family that spans centuries.
How a Christian Gratitude Journal Changed My Prayer Life
This is the part that surprised me most. My prayer life went from sterile and rushed to rich and meaningful. Why? Because I started praying with specifics.
Instead of “God, thank you for everything,” I was praying, “Father, thank you for the way you provided that unexpected check right when I needed it. You see my needs before I even voice them, and You are so faithful.”
See the difference? One is generic. The other is a testimony.
Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” When you keep a Christian gratitude journal, you’re literally watching for God’s movement in your life. You become an active observer rather than a passive pray-er.
The Ripple Effect of a Christian Gratitude Journal
Here’s what I didn’t expect: keeping a Christian gratitude journal didn’t just change me. It changed how I related to others.
I became more appreciative of my partner because I was noting the little ways he showed love. I even became more gracious with difficult people because I was practicing finding God’s presence in challenging situations.
Romans 12:12 tells us, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” The gratitude journal became my tool for staying patient in tribulation because I could flip back through pages and see all the times God came through before.
When I found out my Dad had cancer (cancer free now, woo!), I nearly stopped journaling altogether. But one night, I forced myself to write just one thing: “Grateful Dad is still here to argue with me about how much I’m spending on Door-dash. (oops) Also grateful I occasionally have money to spend on door-dash!
Then another: “Grateful for the nurses who can put up with his jokes.”
Another: “Grateful that Psalm 46:1 says God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
That practice kept me grounded when everything felt like it was falling apart.
Making Your Christian Gratitude Journal a Family Practice
Eventually, my journaling caught the attention of my boyfriend. He asked what I was always writing in “that pretty book,” and I showed him.
Now we have gratitude time on Sunday evenings. we both share one thing we are grateful for from the week, and we pray together. One day, when we are married and have kids, we plan on carrying on with our little ones! When my little nephew is over for a visit, I get him in on it too!
These moments are building a legacy. Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”
Your Christian gratitude journal isn’t just for you. It’s a testimony for those who come after you.
The Bottom Line About Christian Gratitude Journals
Look, I’m not going to promise that starting a Christian gratitude journal will fix all your problems. Life is still life. Cars will still make weird noises. Dinner will still occasionally burn. There’s always gonna be that one person who just wants to make you feel bad.
But here’s what I can promise: when you intentionally look for God’s goodness, you’ll find it. Every. Single. Time.
Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Every morning brings new mercies. A Christian gratitude journal helps you notice them instead of letting them slip by unnoticed in the rush of daily life.
So grab whatever notebook you have lying around, or treat yourself to a beautiful faith journal, and just start. Three things. That’s it. Three things you’re grateful for today.
God is moving. He’s working. He’s blessing.
Don’t miss it.
A Prayer for Beginning Your Christian Gratitude Journal
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness that never ends and Your mercies that are new every morning. Lord, open my eyes to see Your hand at work in my life, in the big moments and the small details I so often overlook. Give me a heart of thanksgiving, even on difficult days, and help me to remember that You are good all the time. As I begin this journey of gratitude journaling, let it draw me closer to You and help me become more like Christ. May my words be a testimony of Your goodness, not just for me, but for those who come after me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you enjoyed this blog post, consider checking out some of my others!
Leave a Reply