Read the following five statements before you lay down at night. Consider them closely. deeply, and reflectively. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance. Commit the following day to God. Actively wait. Watch what happens. You may be surprised.
Let’s say, you aren’t exactly sure how to approach God. Well, you can learn from others. Take St. Ignatius of Loyola, a Spanish priest and theologian. He understood the dailyness of walking the faith. He had a simple habit he prayed each night. It was the last thing he did before retiring. He prayed the prayer I wrote down. Of course, he spent some time on each thought. His walk grew and changed the more he grew and changed. He was grounded in word and worship as he daily partook of the grace God gave him.
The Examine: Pray Each Evening
- Ask God to be with you.
- Recall events of the day for which you feel grateful.
- Do a review of the day.
- Ask forgiveness for any sins.
- Ask for grace to follow grace more closely the following day.
The Examine was formed and followed each day by St. Ignatius long ago (1500’s). It was his habit. The last thing he did each day was he would review his day, thinking through his actions, thoughts, struggles and blessings. He’d look closely each day so that the next day he might be all that he should desire to be. Her wanted to be all that God wished he would be.
The History of the Examine
Was it easy? No. Was it worth while? Yes. His life reflected his walk with God. God was his strength. He learned from God. His life was an example to his brothers and to the world at large. He was intent on doing his life the way God wanted him to live it. There were many men who followed him as monks in the ecclesiastical home, but that didn’t make it easier. Every day there are problems to solve. People who need help. Things to do. But God makes a difference when you rely on Him.
St, Ignatius lived a life that was remarkable. He experienced God in an unusual way. Before he had a remarkable conversion, he was quite taken with impressing others and drawing attention to himself with his dress and weapons. Then God got a hold of him. He gave his outfit away. He lived poor and on the gifts or help of others. He spent hours. I mean hours in prayer and so forth. He was a literally changed man.
Taking the Examine to Heart
I started reading about St. Ignatius back in 2008. A couple of years later I wrote his prayer on a slip of paper so that I might recite it every night. During this time I read some of the great authors of the church beyond my baptist training. I was surprised and taken aback by the depth I found in Chesterton, Ignatius, St. Thomas and others. I realized I had been blind out of ignorance. Back in the day there was so much I had been closed to learning. Mistakingly I believed the only sincere Christians were evangelicals. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I learned much about paying attention to the gist of their writings even though I held a somewhat different view. You can do this too.
Christians need to get their eyes off the ways they do Christian work. We can learn a bunch of things that we never gave much thought to. If we all give a measure of good thought to the ways of Christ, we would grow and develop hearts that are close to things of God. It’s so beautiful to draw near to God, then God draws near to us. We can learn much from God. The more we draw upon Him, the more we understand and cherish the things we know and learn from Him. These things are close to our soul.
Cherish These Things…Always
God will be with you. You may not be aware of Him now, but He is active and concerned about you and your welfare. You may be in one of those times when you feel lonely and think you are all alone, but God is there. He cares, helps and heals. You can call out to Him, and He will come. Maybe not the moment you call, but He is with you. I’m so glad He is with me and you.
