“The Examen is an immediate solution to the problem of ‘what do I pray about?’ The answer is: everything that’s happened to you today. You might have the impression that your everyday life is the dreary same old, same old. It isn’t. Daily life is rich and meaningful. Every encounter, every challenge, every disappointment, and every delight is a place where God can be found.” Jim Manney
Find a quiet place at the end of the day, and follow these six steps:
- Look back on the events of the day, and become aware of God’s presence in the things you’ve faced. If your day seems ordinary, chaotic, a blur, ask God to bring clarity and understanding.
- As you replay your day, pay attention to your emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom, elation, resentment, anger. What is God saying through these feelings?
- Rejoice in all the good things of the day. As you walk through the day, note the joys, the delights and the gifts. Pay attention to the small things – the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small things, and thank God for them.
- Notice any ways during the day that you fell short and didn’t follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Repent of these moments, asking God for his forgiveness.
- Choose one feature of the day and pray into it. Ask God to direct you to something during the day that is important, and allow prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart.
- Finally, look toward tomorrow. Think about what’s coming up, and ask for God’s help to live for Jesus.
