7 Ways to PraySample

Remembering in Prayer: Moving Forward by Looking Back

I can still recall highlights and lowlights from a vacation in Greece from some decades ago, mainly because my friend encouraged us to document them each night. For instance, what we called the “puke-green wallpaper” in the Athens hotel was a lowlight, but a highlight was walking off the plane and being immersed in the wall of warm air. I realized recently that these bullet points can morph into a prayer to help me understand how I’m relating to God. As I pay attention and look back at my life, with God’s help, naming the things that bring me joy or frustrate me, I understand how I’m moving toward or away from him. 

This type of prayer is known as the examen and was inspired by Ignatius of Loyola, whom we met yesterday. He developed this five-step prayer in the hope that it would open us to God’s love and release us into God’s service. 

In praying this way, examining ourselves before God with an open heart, we echo the song of the psalmist, who asked God to search him and test his thoughts (Psalm 139:23). And we follow the instructions of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount when he said we should heed the log in our own eye instead of pointing out the speck in someone else’s (see Matthew 7:3-5). We lean on the Spirit living within to help us as we pray. 

Join me in the examen? Here are the five simple steps: First, give thanks to God. Second, ask him for wisdom and insight. Third, review your day with him. Fourth, repent for how you failed him or others. Fifth, ask him to renew you through his Spirit. 

As we look back to look forward through this way of praying, we can put on the mind of Christ and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for helping me to learn from the past. Help me to examine myself that I might grow in love, wisdom, and grace. 

Thank you for completing this plan! I hope you found it encouraging. The content of this plan was taken from my book 7 Ways to Pray. It is especially helpful for small groups, prayer groups, and retreats.

Learn more about the book or watch a video of me talking through the 7 Ways to Pray here.