How to Revisit Past Journal Entries Without Shame

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Hey, my friend. Have you ever flipped back through an old journal and immediately cringed at what you read? Like… Wow, did I really feel that way? Did I really pray that again? Did I really write that?

If so, you are not alone. Revisiting old entries can be challenging.

Maybe you see a version of yourself who was hurting. Or confused. Or stuck in a pattern you wish you had broken sooner.

Maybe you find page after page of the same fear or the same prayer request, and it feels embarrassing, or childish, or frustrating. And suddenly all this shame starts rising up.

But here’s the truth I want to remind you of today: Your old journal entries aren’t evidence of failure. They are evidence of growth, and honestly, your willingness to show up before God exactly as you were.

Your past self wasn’t clueless. She was courageous enough to tell the truth. Seriously, it takes a lot of courage to show up honestly and vulnerably in your journal.

Looking back through past journals can remind us of our journey and how God has shown up through it all. But that doesn’t make it easy, does it? So let’s walk through a few ways to revisit those old pages without letting shame take over.

1. Read like you’re reading a friend’s journal.

As best as you can, step outside yourself for a moment. If you opened a friend’s journal and saw her heartbreak, her confusion, her prayers, her questions—would you judge her? Or would you feel compassion?

That same tenderness belongs to you. So take a step back and give yourself some perspective. See the bigger picture and offer yourself kindness, not criticism, as you read through what you wrote in the past.

2. Look for evidence of God’s presence—not evidence of your performance.

Shame makes us look at where we “should” have known more. But mercy helps us look at where God showed up.

As you go back, ask things like:

• Where was God comforting me?
• Which prayers were answered later on?
• Where was He carrying me through something I didn’t even have language for yet?

Your journal is a record of God’s faithfulness as much as it’s a record of your feelings and experiences.

3. Thank your past self.

Okay, so this one might feel a little weird at first, but it can be powerful. When you read an entry that stirs embarrassment or regret, pause for a moment and say: “Thank you for writing this.” “Thank you for being honest.”

Gratitude disarms shame. It rebuilds compassion. As we do this, we recognize that we are in process, aren’t we? We didn’t have it all figured out then, and we certainly don’t have it all figured out now. But we’re learning and growing.

Journal Prompt

In fact, let that be your journal prompt for this week: What’s one thing you can thank your past self for as you read old entries from your journal?

Just one thing. Let it be simple. Let it be kind.

And if there are some hard things you’re carrying into your journaling right now—things like grief or regret or shame or hurt—and you’re looking for a healthy way to write about that, I want you to grab my Journal Gently program. You’ll get spiritual practices, training, and writing exercises that take you step by step into developing a journaling practice that is right for you. Just go to lovedoesthat.org/journalgently to learn more and sign up.

Friend, you don’t have to be ashamed of the pages that got you here. You were growing. You were learning. You were being shaped—even in the seasons you’d rather forget. And God is using that even now.

As you return to those old words, may you feel held, understood, and met by the One who walked with you through every page.

RELATED EPISODES:

• Episode 176: My Biggest Tip for Beating Perfectionism in Journaling
• Episode 146: Introduction to Journaling: Creating Your Own Journaling Routine
• Episode 144: How to Create Both a Short and Long Journaling Routine

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