Church in Bethesda Blog
Examen for Advent and the Year
Practicing the Daily Examen for the Year!
On this past Sunday (Nov. 27), our Weekly Grace was to move forward with the Daily Examen as an exercise for the year. Instead of just reflecting on the day past and the day coming, we might reflect on the past year and the coming year. This blog is just a reminder and an outline of how that practice might work.
It helps to make a definite plan for a place and time to do this, away from distractions. And begin with a short time of prayer, thanking God for the present exercise and inviting the Spirit to do this little practice with you.
The Daily Examen
Here's a quick reminder of the Examen, it's focus and five pieces:
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
Now, how does this look in practice for a year instead of a day? Hopefully, these short guides for the five pieces will help!
1. Becoming Aware of God's Presence. How has God been present in the last 12 months? What were the times and even places where you most felt God's peace and joy? These may have been times of "victory" or when everything was working out as you had prayed for them. These may also have been times of "failure" or struggle when you were forced back into a realization of dependency on God.
2. Review The Year With Gratitude. It's easier to do this for a day just gone past you, but it will take some more time to review a whole year and really think of the gifts that have come your way over 12 months. Have you kept a journal to review? It will probably help to make a list. Were there some things in the last year that you didn't immediately recognize as gifts from God?
3. Pay Attention to Your Emotions. What is the single greatest defining emotion of the last 12 months? Look back: Was the year joyous? Happy? Sad? Over-whelming? Fearful? Depressed? D) All of the above? Bring this God. And don't be ashamed of your emotions or emotional responses throughout the year. Offer them to God to redeem and share.
4. Choose One Feature From the Year and Pray From It. Was there a defining moment in the last year? Was there an event that really stands out? Or maybe a moment of internal shift for your life? Can you say that "2011 was the year of ________?" Bring that to God as well. It may have been a negatice thing, or a positive thing, but God can use both to our blessing. As a spring-board for your prayer, how does it lead you into conversation with God?
5. Look Toward Next Year. Now take a few minutes to dream and vision forward. What are your hopes for 2012? What are your expectations? Bring these to God. Do you hear the Spirit pushing you in any particular direction? Convicting you of needed change? Have you begun to dream something for God in the coming year? All these can be brought to God's throne and shared, the simple things and the grand things. You might do this in several areas of life: personal, church community, work, health, financial, spiritual, etc.
I hope this helps with your prayers this week and with looking ahead into 2012! I'm praying for God to move in exciting ways with our church family, and each of us individually.
Peace, Todd
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