Prayer of Examen

I love that our church is a praying church, and this week…we have intentionally focused on prayer!

Our pastors encouraged us to attend the prayer services that would be held throughout the week!

Each day was a new service, but you could choose one of three times throughout the day to attend, allowing you to choose a time that best fit your schedule!

Since I am a morning person, I attended that 7:00 a.m. services!

Though I spend time each morning with the Lord, I found if refreshing to join other believers in prayer before starting my day!

Each morning was spent in a time of prayer and praise and worship!

On the last morning, we used the Prayer of Examen (or “Daily Examen”) as our week of prayer was coming to an end.

I had not heard of this prayer, and learned the following:

The Prayer of Examen was created over 400 years ago by the Jesuit priest St. Ignatius of Loyola as an end-of-day prayer discipline each day.  (Handout from Friday morning’s prayer service)

The pastor leading that morning service asked us to consider using the Prayer of Examen as a daily prayer exercise of the end of each day, reflecting on God’s presence in our lives today and looking forward to the next, in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.  (Handout form Friday morning’s prayer service)

The Prayer of Examen follows 5 logical stages, which can be used at the end of each day.

The Steps are:

Stillness – Become aware of God’s presence

Still your heart and mind and focus on God’s presence right now.  Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and to help you to look honestly at your actions this day and how you have responded in different situations!

I am sure each of, especially myself, need to spend more time just being still before the Lord…listening for His voice.

We live in a noisy world…finding time to be alone with the Lord is so refreshing…and so needed in our busy lives today!

Gratitude – review the day with gratitude

Review your day and give thanks to God for His grace.  Think of the concrete details of your day.  Recall how you saw God moving in your life during the day.  Pause and express your gratitude to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I often began my day praying…asking God to touch the lives of many and as I read this, I realize how I need to take time to express my gratitude for all HE has done is continuing to do in my life and the lives of so many!

I need to make sure I am spending time just thanking God for who He is!

Reflection – Looking back on my emotions of the day

Review the events of the day and notice how you responded to different situations with your emotions.  Recall your feelings and motives.  Think about opportunities you had to grow in faith, hope and charity.  As we think about why we did or did not take advantage of these opportunities, we can become aware of how we might change our actions in the future to better reflect Christ’s love.

I don’t really take time to reflect on how I handled a particular situation.  I don’t think about what emotions I was experiencing during that time. 

And I have never thought that taking time to reflect might possibly help me to respond differently to a similar situation in the future.

I desire to grow each day…and this is an area where I can grow and be more like Jesus!

Confession – Where did I fall short today?

After you have asked for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in recalling and reflecting on the actions of your day, spend time talking with God.  Express sorrow for the times you failed to follow Jesus’ directions and ask him to be with you and help you do better the next time you encounter a similar situation.

There are times when all I do is look at where I fell short that day! 

But I need to remind myself that when that happens…I need to confess it…repent…and remember that God forgives my sins and remembers them no more!

And then I need to forgive myself…that isn’t always easy!

Hopefulness – Look toward tomorrow

Ask God to help you as you look forward to a new day tomorrow.  Resolve to cooperate and trust in the loving guidance of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Conclude the day’s prayerful review with the Lord’s Prayer.

As I look around the world today…my hope is in my Heavenly Father!

His word states:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit…Romans 15:13

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters he inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.  He has become a high priest forever…Hebrews 6:19

Then you will know that I am Lord; those who hope in my will not be disappointed…Isaiah 49:23

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you for this week of prayer!  I pray this was a week of encouragement for all of us…and that each of us would realize the importance of prayer…the importance of spending time with you on a daily basis!  Oh, how I love you!