Prayer of Examen

Are you looking for a fresh way to connect relationally with God? If so, try out the Prayer of Examen. It's a simple but effective structured . . . especially if you commit to doing it for the next 30 days or so.

Follow these steps:

Prepare
Stop. Be still. This can be part of your prayer or simply a moment in which you say nothing and wait for yourself to be ready to reflect.

Express Gratitude
Today is a gift from God. Reflect on that and give thanks to him.

Seek Guidance
You won't always know how to tell yourself the truth. Ask the for the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth of your day.

Alive
What were those moments in your day when you felt most alive? When did you see God at work? When did you come alongside him in that work?

Detached
Where were those moments in your day when you felt most detached? When were you not loving? When were you disappointed in yourself, others, or God?

Honesty
What must you do to reconcile? It's not always a sin to confess, but treat this part of the prayer as a time to confess where you're not living the life you want to live.

The Prayer of Examen can be as long or as short as you need it to be. But it's a great way to begin to recognize daily patterns of when you're connected to God and when you're detached from him.