Step 8: Examen
Genesis 1:5 (NIV) God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
And there was evening, and there was morning. In the Hebrew mindset the day begins in the evening. How you spend your evening is the foundation for how your next day will go. Your day with God doesn’t begin with you waking up and going to work, it begins with you laying down and resting.
When my kids were little, we would always end the day with the “High-Low” game. We have since added “Buffalo” to the conversation, something random that you would like to share. It was a great way for us to reflect on the day. Our vocabulary changed throughout the years but the game remained the same.
What is something that filled your heart bucket, what is something that emptied your heart bucket.
Rose-Bud-Thorn is my current favorite, something beautiful, something you are excited about, and something that was hard.
It was amazing the things that would come up in these bedtime routines. As parents, we were given direct insight to our kids day. We heard about their friendships, their classes, their passions, and their fears. For our kids, they learned that life has ups and downs. They learned to see how Jesus met them throughout their day and would fill their heart buckets. They learned that it was ok to talk about the hurt too. Sometimes we would learn that they made some bad choices that day, and they would learn that they are still loved in their bad choices and could think through how to make a better choice in the future.
These may sound like childish games, but it is actually an ancient spiritual practice that was made popular by St. Ignatius of Loyola and entitled Examen. It is a prayerful reflection on the events of the day where you look back to see where you felt God’s presence and joy with you. It is a way to start the new “day” with gratitude, with knowing we are loved, and then falling asleep in God’s presence.
Your Turn:
This week, you are invited into the ancient practice of Examen. In the evening before you go to sleep, take a few minutes to reflect on the day with God.
Recognize - God is with you and has been with you all day. Ask Him to help you to be aware of His presence throughout the day. “Lord, would you shine your light in my heart to see the day with your perspective.”
Respond - Each day is a gift from God, take a moment to thank Him for his gift to you. Before you begin processing the highs and lows, thank God for the gift of the day and His presence with you.
Review - Walk through the day with God as though you were watching a movie or flipping through pictures from the day. What stands out to you? Any consolations where you felt God’s presence and pleasure? Where was He filling your heart bucket? Any desolations where you felt far from God? Maybe some bad choices you made that you regret? It is safe to share it all, you are loved no matter what.
Respond - For the consolations, take a moment to give God a smile of praise and thanksgiving. For the desolations, take a moment to exchange the ashes for His beauty.
Rest - You may now begin your day with resting in the loving kindness of a good Father. You are safe and loved in the highs and the lows, in the good and the bad, in the consolation and desolation. He will watch over you (and perhaps sing over you) now as you sleep.