PRAYER OF EXAMEN

Spiritual Practices

Prayer of Examen is an opportunity to reflect back on your life and thank God for both the blessings and challenges of each time and season.

PROCESS

1) Choose a segment of time to consider. It could be a few hours, a day or a week. Some people use examen to prayerfully look back on a year or more of their lives.

2) Get quiet and know that God is with you.

3) Look back at the day like you might watch a movie of your life. Start at the beginning and let the time roll by. Notice the people you came in contact with. Notice your feelings, moods and your reactions.

4) First notice the gifts hidden in your day. Give thanks.

5) Next ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight and the courage to look honestly at your life, to guide you to what is important and the wisdom to understand what God wants to show you.

6) Notice the times you felt most alive. Notice when you felt the life drain out of you. Where did you sense a closeness of God’s presence with you? Where were you drawn to God today? Were there times in which God seemed distant or removed? Were there times during the day in which you experienced peace? Were there times that you experienced a lack of peace?

7) End this time of prayer by looking forward to a tomorrow that will be filled with God. Ask God to help you to see him more clearly and to follow him as you are led.