Scripture
So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you
have received it, and it will be yours. “Whenever you stand praying,
forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in
heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” —Mark
11:24–25
Reflection
At the end of the day is a good time to reflect and work with the Holy
Spirit to find what needs to be set straight in our lives. We can
specifically work on a habit that needs changing, something that we have
done (maybe without realizing it) for which we need forgiveness, or
something that we need to forgive. If we have “ought against any,” we are
supposed to get it straightened out before presenting our gifts to God.
The practice of Examen can be used to discern what separates us from
God and help us grow closer to God. It is an opportunity to follow the
guidance of the Holy Spirit in reviewing our day, so that anything God
wants us to notice about our day can be brought to mind. Here is an
example of an Examen exercise.
- Withdraw into a quiet space and meditate silently, invoking the Holy
Spirit. You should develop an attitude of mind, open to the healing of
any problem the Spirit presents to you.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind anything that you need to be
aware of from the activities of the day. You may begin this portion by
performing a short run-through of the highlights of your day, holding
each up to the Spirit’s light. You may also just want to sit quietly,
waiting for whatever is brought to your mind about your day. The idea is
to see your day through God’s eyes.
- When anything is brought to your attention, examine it carefully and
prayerfully. Analyze the elements: What was the incident? How did it
begin? How did it end?
- Work with the Spirit to determine what, if anything, you need to do
about this situation. Do you need to ask God or anybody else for
forgiveness? Do you need to forgive someone else?
- Is there any way to prevent this situation from happening again? How
might you act differently? respond differently?
- Ask the Spirit for a gentle prodding to remind you of this situation
in the future so that you can realize what is happening and stop the
cycle.
- Record what has transpired in your journal. This is helpful when you
get discouraged. It will show you how far you’ve come.
- Thank the Holy Spirit for helping you draw closer to God. Sit
quietly for a moment before leaving the meditation.
Action
Reserve time at the end of the day to go through the above steps.
Approach the Examen with an attitude of humility and a determination to
act on what is brought to your mind.
Prayer
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.—Psalm
139:23–24 |
