Hearing God, Pt. 3: The Examen

Take Communion

Leader: Begin your gathering by taking communion together, whether as a full meal together or some version of the bread and the cup before or after your meal. If you don’t already have a Communion liturgy, have someone lead through this guided prayer:

Holy Spirit, as we begin our time tonight, would you bring to our minds a moment in which we heard your voice really clearly this last week? 
(Leader: Pause here for a moment.)
God, we remember that you are kind and that you love to speak to us. 
We remember that you are patient and will continue to teach us to hear you.
We remember that you are gracious, gentle, and good.
And, for all of this, we are thankful.
Amen.

Read This Overview Aloud Together 

Jesus said that his sheep know his voice. How do we know God’s voice? While there are many tools that can help us along on this journey, one that might not immediately come to mind is the historic practice of the Examen. The Examen – also called “the examination of consciousness” – is a form of prayer in which we take time with God to look back over our day, paying special attention to our felt closeness to God. Where did I feel the closest to God today? and Where did I feel the furthest?

The practice of the Examen has been used for centuries as a way of training oneself to stay tuned into God’s presence. Think back to what was mentioned a few weeks ago in the conversation around the Scriptures: meditating on what God has already said through the pages of the Bible helps us to know what God’s voice sounds like. The Examen functions similarly: looking for God’s closeness in our past day cultivates the ability to more clearly notice where God is at in our present. We begin to more easily recognize what God is up to around us, which helps us to keep in step with the Spirit.

Tonight we will walk through a simple framework for the Examen, taking some time to practice it together. 

Do This Practice Tonight

While there have been various frameworks for the Examen over the centuries, the general aim is always the same: to review our day with God, noticing where we felt close to God and where we felt far from him. We’re going to practice this together now. So let’s take a moment for everyone to get comfortable and then we’ll begin. I’ll guide us through the four prompts, giving us space between each, and then we’ll share together after we’re done.

(Leader’s Note: Wait until everyone has settled in, perhaps inviting people to put away phones and other distractions. Invite the Holy Spirit to make you all aware of his presence, and then spend a few moments in silence, letting the Spirit gather you all back to yourselves. Leave somewhere around two minutes between each of the four prompts.)

First, review your day with God. Start from the moment you woke up this morning and reflect through your day up until this moment here. What did you do? What happened to you? What did you feel? Where did you go? Who did you see? What did you get done? What was left undone for another day? What did you say today? What victories did you experience? Where did you feel loss? Let’s take some time to review our days with God.

Next, ask the question: Where did I feel the furthest from God today? Filter back through your day again, this time noticing at which point you felt the furthest from God. And as it comes up, what about that moment made you feel far from God? 

Then, ask the question: Where did I feel the nearest to God today? Once more, filter back through your day, this time noticing at which point you felt the closest to God. And as it comes up, what about that moment made you feel near to God? 

Finally, in light of your reflections, pray one intercession for tomorrow. Taking stock of what you have noticed through all of this, take a moment to ask God for something for tomorrow. Is there somewhere you need him to intervene? Do you want him to help you pay better attention to your temper? Would it be helpful for the kids’ nap time to go smoother? Spend some time asking God for what you need tomorrow.

(Leader’s Note: Once you’ve given time for the final prompt, close with a quick prayer and invite people to share what that experience was like for them and if anyone wants to share about something God brought up for them.)

Read The Practice for the Week Ahead

This week, each of us is invited to practice the Examen this week. Follow through the prompts above at some point near the end of your day – on your commute home, as you’re doing the dishes, while you’re getting ready for bed, or perhaps even right before you go to sleep. Whenever you choose to do it, remember that repetition forms habit, so try to do it at some point each day this week.

End in Prayer

Leader: Close your time together asking God that we might grow as hearers of his voice.