Faith and prayer

40 Lent Journal Prompts

These Lent journal prompts are for anyone who keeps a prayer journal, or wants to, through the forty days before Easter. You might be marking Lent for the first time, returning to it after years away, or keeping it the way you always have.

The prompts follow the shape of the season: quiet reflection, letting go, giving something up or taking something on, saying sorry where it is needed, praying for others, and learning to give more freely. Some take a few minutes. Others ask you to sit a while with a memory or a hard question.

Come to them gently. Lent is not a test you can fail, and your journal does not need to sound holy. Write honestly, as you would speak to someone who already knows you well.

All 40 prompts

Each prompt is marked quick (2 to 5 minutes), reflective (about 10 minutes) or deep (20 minutes or more).

  1. What is one small thing you could set down for Lent that you would notice missing by the end of the week? quick

  2. What simple object, like a stone in your pocket or a note on the mirror, could remind you of your Lent intention during an ordinary day? quick

  3. What did Lent look like in the home or church you grew up in, if it was part of your life at all? quick

  4. Write a one-sentence prayer you could repeat each morning of Lent. quick

  5. What noise in your day, like a feed, a habit or a show running in the background, would you like to quiet for a while? quick

  6. Name one person you could quietly help this week without them knowing it was you. quick

  7. What did you reach for today when you felt restless or bored? quick

  8. When did you feel close to God today, even for a moment? quick

  9. What is one thing in your closet or cupboard you could give away this week, and who might use it? quick

  10. Which day of the week feels hardest for keeping your Lent practice, and what might make it gentler? quick

  11. What would you like to say to God tonight that you have not yet put into words? quick

  12. Describe a small kindness someone showed you recently that you would like to pass on. quick

  13. What are you hoping Lent will make room for in your life, and what might need to move to make that room? reflective

  14. If you are giving something up, what do you hope the empty space will hold instead? reflective

  15. Think of the last time you told someone you were sorry and truly meant it. What made it possible? reflective

  16. What habit of speech, such as complaining, sarcasm or rushing people, would you like to notice more this Lent? reflective

  17. Where do you spend money out of habit, and how might some of it be shared with others this season? reflective

  18. Write about a time when going without something showed you what you really needed. reflective

  19. Which Bible passage keeps coming back to you lately? Write down its reference and what draws you to it this season. reflective

  20. Who in your life is carrying something heavy right now? Write a prayer for them by name. reflective

  21. Halfway through Lent, what has surprised you about the practice you chose? reflective

  22. Where do you tend to hurry past people? Picture one encounter this week where you slow down and really listen. reflective

  23. What does returning mean to you right now, and what would you most like to return to? reflective

  24. When you fall short of your Lent intention, how do you usually speak to yourself? Write how you might speak with more grace. reflective

  25. Make a list of everything you were given this week that you did not earn. reflective

  26. How could you and the people you live with mark Lent together at home in a simple, unhurried way? reflective

  27. What are you holding on to tightly that you would like to loosen your grip on this Lent, and what makes letting go feel hard? deep

  28. Write honestly about something you regret. What would it look like to bring all of it to God without hiding any part? deep

  29. Is there a relationship where you owe an apology or a step toward repair? Write about what holds you back and what a first step could be. deep

  30. Read about Jesus' forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Write about a wilderness season in your own life and what you learned there. deep

  31. What fear shapes your choices more than you would like? Write a prayer that names it plainly. deep

  32. Where in your life are you trying to earn love or approval? Write about what it might feel like to rest from that effort. deep

  33. If you could set down one way of seeing yourself that no longer feels true, what would it be, and where did it come from? deep

  34. Read the story of the lost son in Luke 15:11-32. Which person in the story do you relate to most this year, and why? deep

  35. What would generosity look like if it cost you something real, like your time, your comfort or your need to be right? deep

  36. Write about a loss or an ending you are carrying into this Lent. What do you want to say to God about it? deep

  37. Read about Jesus praying in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). Where are you struggling to surrender something you wanted, and how can you pray about it honestly? deep

  38. As Holy Week draws near, what do you want to carry with you from these forty days, and what are you ready to leave behind? deep

  39. Write a letter to yourself to open next Lent, describing what this season stirred in you and what you are still hoping for. deep

How to use these prompts

You can move through the list in order, since the prompts go from lighter to deeper, or pick one each day that fits your mood and your schedule. Quick prompts take two to five minutes and work well with a morning cup of coffee or just before bed. Longer ones may need twenty minutes and a quiet room, so you might save those for a weekend or a Sunday afternoon. If you feel stuck, write the prompt at the top of the page and begin with "Right now I notice," or simply write a short prayer asking for help to see clearly. Missing a day is fine. Pick up wherever you are.

Download the lent prompt sheet (PDF)

Questions

Do I have to give something up for Lent to use these prompts?

No. Giving something up is one way people mark Lent, and adding a practice such as prayer, reading or giving is another. The prompts work either way, and some are written to help you choose.

What if I miss a few days of journaling during Lent?

Just start again with today's page. Lent is about returning, and coming back to your journal after a gap fits the season well.

Can I use these prompts with a small group or youth group?

Yes. Many of the shorter prompts work as discussion questions, and you can invite people to journal privately first and then share only what they choose.

Is it okay to write about doubt or frustration with God during Lent?

Yes. Many people find that honest words, including questions and complaints, become some of their truest prayers. Your journal can hold all of it.

How do I journal about repentance without being too hard on myself?

Try naming what happened plainly, then writing what you would like to do differently, without piling on harsh words. If you notice yourself spiraling into blame, close with a few lines of gratitude or a simple prayer for grace.

Scripture to journal with