Here at The Little Rose Shop we are all about bringing faith into everyday life. One of the ways we have found that is an incredibly powerful but simple way to accomplish our mission is through the use of the daily Examen prayer. Brought to us by Ignatian spirituality, the Examen gives us a simple step-by-step practice to review our day with the lens of the Lord.
Here is how to pray the Examen:
-
Presence- Take a few deep breaths and become aware of God's presence, acknowledge that this time is to draw closer to Him.
-
Gratitude- Recall the blessings and graces of the day. Reflect on all the good things that happened to you, no matter how small they may seem, give thanks to God.
-
Reflect- Reflect on the events of your day. Ask yourself questions such as: Where did I experience God's presence? Where did I struggle? What were the high points of my day? What were the low points?
-
Respond- Share your heart with god. If you recognize any moments when you fell short, ask for forgiveness and take time to connect with him.
-
Forward- Look forward to tomorrow with a renewed sense of purpose and resolve. Ask God to help you see opportunities for growth and transformation in the day ahead.
That’s it!
We especially love that the Lord is so good to give this to us, knowing how much our hearts need these steps to clinically and spiritually find peace and happiness. For example, reflecting on the moments in the day and identifying what we are grateful for has huge emotional and spiritual benefits. See our post on Showing and Sharing Gratitude for more.
We also just love how this prayer practice ends with purpose and resolve to make tomorrow a better day with God’s grace and presence.
Here is our Examen Journal created just for you!
