Examining our Heart
“The day after Christmas is usually a bit of a let-down. The guests have gone home, no one has started back to the office, the trees are bare and there’s a quiet that settles in. Before the next distraction begins, there’s an opportunity. In the space that’s in between marked by one end and the next beginning, there’s a chance to take a deep breath and to ask yourself some questions.
There’s an old practice in the church adapted from St. Ignatius called an Examen. Like a good folk song, there are lots of versions circulating out there about just how to go about an Examen. In brief, the idea is that you would spend a few minutes at the end of the day to become aware of God’s presence. Reflect on the day, you can remember on the times you felt close to God, or times you felt especially distant. In a few lines, express your need for grace, and offer up a word of gratitude.” -Sandra McCracken, Christmas (Devotional on YouVersion)
I’ve mentioned before that I do a daily devotional with some friends. This is an excerpt from our last one. If you read our Thanksgiving posts, you may remember that I’ve been sharing a daily post with a friend of three things I am grateful for. Thanksgiving ended, but our posts have kept going, we’re just finishing up month two. As I read this post this week, I was intrigued and decided to do a bit more research. While there are many resources, I found this very simple list. It’s meant to be a daily activity, and I think I would like to try to do that myself, pair it up with my gratefulness list. I like to start with simple goals, so my goal right now, is to put this into practice these last few days of 2020 and in the early weeks of 2021.
Facebook likes to remind me of old posts, and over the last few days many memories of New Year 2020 have been showing up. I think it’s safe to say 2020 was not at all what we expected, any of us. But as I look back on 2020, as I reflect in the silence; yes there was loss, yes there were and are hard decisions and choices, yes, the world as we knew it changed, but I still have so much to be grateful for. In 2020 I looked to see what God would bring in the New Year, this year I reflect and am grateful for all that I have.
As we usher in a new year, put an end to the old one, as we look to find hope and joy in the new, as we leave behind the challenges of the last, will you join me in exploring a daily Examen? Whether you commit to a one-day year-end exercise or try it out for a week, a month, or even a year, I believe Jesus has something for me and He has something for you too.
5 Step Daily Examen
01
Become Aware Of God’s Presence
For me this requires getting quiet. I am often carried away by distractions and noise around me. Silencing the world around me, and intentionally sitting with God.
02
Review The Day With Gratitude
This is where my current 3 things to be grateful for fit in. It’s amazing how many small things there are to be grateful for in a day. So often we miss this.
03
Pay Attention To Your Emotions
Years ago, I experienced the value of naming my emotions. It’s not always important to know why we feel something, but determining if we are angry or sad, scared or tender, happy or excited can help us in both honoring our emotions and feelings, and moving out of them.
04
Chose One Feature Of The Day And Pray From It
There are so many things in my day that occur that I think I should pray about, but if I don’t stop in the moment, they will often slip my mind. I love the idea of bringing those things back into focus.
05
Look Toward Tomorrow
I love this. I also don’t think I do this enough. It’s so easy to get caught up in the right now. But tomorrow is coming, and a new hope is waiting.