31 December Christian Journal Prompts for Advent: Slowing Down to Behold Christ
31 December Christian journal prompts for Advent and the Christmas season. Daily Bible verses and reflection questions to help you slow down, fix your eyes on Jesus, and rediscover the wonder, hope, and joy of His coming.
December has a way of filling up (very) quickly.
There are gifts to buy, gatherings to attend, traditions to keep, meals to plan, memories to make. It’s beautiful and meaningful, but it’s also a lot.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, it’s easy to feel a quiet disconnect…like you’re moving through the Christmas season talking about Jesus without really sitting with Him.
I’ve felt that before. Going through the motions, checking the boxes, wanting to feel something deeper but not quite getting there.
But Advent gently calls us back. Not to do more or try harder, but to come closer. To slow down, to look again, to sit with the story we know so well until it feels alive again.
Because this is not just a familiar story. This is the moment everything changed. This is light breaking into darkness. This is God stepping into human skin. This is a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.
And it’s the kind of truth that invites you to pause, to breathe, to fall on your knees in quiet awe.
These journal prompts are not about adding one more thing to your to-do list this month. They are an invitation to sit with Jesus, to notice Him, to behold Him, and to let your heart be stirred again by the Good News.
My hope this month is not that you would have the most productive or perfectly meaningful Advent. It’s that, somewhere in the middle of the busyness, you would have real, unhurried moments where your heart softens, your eyes lift, and your affection for Christ deepens.
That the familiar story would feel personal again. That wonder would return. That joy would feel fresh. And that you would leave this month not just having celebrated Christmas, but having drawn closer to Christ.
December’s Journal Prompts
December 1
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)
Where has your life felt heavy or dim lately? Where can you already see even a small flicker of Christ’s light breaking through?
December 2
“For unto us a child is born.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)
What does it mean to you personally that Jesus came for you, not just for the world in general but for your real, everyday life?
5 Prayers for the Christmas Season
December 3
“The Lord himself will give you a sign.” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV)
Where are you craving clarity or reassurance right now? How does the coming of Christ speak into that uncertainty?
December 4
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.” (Matthew 1:23, ESV)
When was the last time you slowed down enough to really consider the miracle of this moment? What stirs in you as you sit with it today?
When Hope Feels Hard: What Deep Faith Really Looks Like
December 5
“My soul magnifies the Lord.” (Luke 1:46, ESV)
What has your attention been magnifying lately – stress, expectations, pressure? What would it look like to intentionally turn your focus back to the Lord today?
December 6
“Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment…” (Luke 1:45, ESV)
Where is God inviting you to trust Him right now, even if you can’t yet see how things will unfold?
December 7
“Glory to God in the highest…” (Luke 2:14, ESV)
What would it look like for your ordinary moments this week – errands, conversations, quiet routines – to reflect God’s glory?
December 8
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15, ESV)
What is currently stealing your peace this season? What would it look like to pause and let Christ’s peace interrupt that?
A Christmas Blessing For Your Holiday Season
December 9
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14, ESV)
God came near. Where do you most need to remember His nearness in your life right now?
December 10
“Rejoice in the Lord always.” (Philippians 4:4, ESV)
Where have you felt even a small spark of joy recently? Pause and thank God for it, letting that joy point you back to Him.
December 11
“The Lord is my light and my salvation.” (Psalm 27:1, ESV)
What feels uncertain or shadowed right now? How does remembering God as your light shift the way you see it?
Raising Your Ebenezer: How Remembering God’s Faithfulness Strengthens Your Faith
December 12
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, ESV)
What is one small, realistic way you can draw near to God today in the middle of everything else?
How To Start A Quiet Time Routine When You Feel Overwhelmed
December 13
“The Lord is gracious and merciful.” (Psalm 145:8, ESV)
Where have you seen God’s gentleness or patience toward you this year?
December 14
“Your word is a lamp to my feet.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
What Scripture has quietly guided or steadied you recently? How did God meet you through it?
Wholehearted Bible Study: Loving God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength
December 15
“Cast your burden on the Lord.” (Psalm 55:22, ESV)
What are you carrying into this season that feels heavy? Write it out and intentionally hand it over to Him.
December 16
“The Lord is near to all who call on him.” (Psalm 145:18, ESV)
When life feels full and fast, do you tend to pull away from God or turn toward Him? What would it look like to pause and call on Him today?
December 17
“Seek the Lord and his strength.” (1 Chronicles 16:11, ESV)
Where are you running low on energy, patience, or emotional capacity right now? How has God already been meeting you there?
December 18
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:25, ESV)
Where are you currently waiting for something to change? How might God be meeting you in the waiting itself?
December 19
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” (Lamentations 3:22, ESV)
Looking back over this year, where can you clearly see God’s love that didn’t give up on you?
How To Do A Brain Dump: Decluttering Your Mind To Hear From God More Clearly
December 20
“The Lord will guide you continually.” (Isaiah 58:11, ESV)
Where has God guided you this year, even in ways you didn’t recognize at the time?
How to Verse Map Scripture: A Practical Tool to Deepen Your Quiet Time
December 21
“Peace I leave with you…” (John 14:27, ESV)
What would it look like to receive Christ’s peace today instead of trying to create your own?
Peace for Troubled Hearts: Finding Comfort in John 14
December 22
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1, ESV)
Where has God provided for you this year – physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationally?
December 23
“Commit your way to the Lord.” (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
As the year comes to a close, what are you still holding tightly that God may be inviting you to release?
December 24
“Glory to God in the highest…” (Luke 2:14, ESV)
Take a few quiet minutes today. What does your heart want to say to God as you reflect on the coming of Christ?
December 25
“Today…a Savior has been born to you.” (Luke 2:11, ESV)
Pause today and really take it in: Jesus came. What does that mean for your life right now, not just in theory?
December 26
“Give thanks to the Lord.” (Psalm 118:1, ESV)
What are you grateful for from this Christmas – not just what you received, but how you saw God at work?
December 27
“The Lord is faithful…” (Psalm 145:13, ESV)
Where has God been steady and faithful this year, even when your circumstances were not?
December 28
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
What would it look like to slow down today – not to accomplish something, but simply to be with God?
December 29
“Seek first the kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)
As you look ahead, what priorities are you tempted to carry that might quietly pull your focus away from Christ?
How to Stop Shame Spirals with Gentle, Jesus-Centered Thought Boundaries
December 30
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” (Psalm 138:8, ESV)
Where do you feel uncertain about the future? How does this promise steady your heart?
December 31
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)
Looking back over this year, where have you seen God growing your faith, even in small or quiet ways?
A Blessing for December
May the wonder of Christ’s coming soften your heart again.
May the familiar story feel alive with new beauty and depth.
May you find quiet moments to behold Him, not just talk about Him.
May your heart feel the thrill of hope as you remember that He came and that He is still with you.
And may you move into the new year with your eyes lifted, your heart anchored, and your affection rooted deeply in the One who stepped into the world to bring you life.
Printable Advent Bible Reading Plan For Christmas
Christian Monthly Journal Prompts for December: Advent Waiting & Hope
