Historically, Christians have tackled these questions through what is known as the Prayer of Examen. The Prayer of Examen, articulated most popularly in The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, is a structured review of one’s life.
One looks over the day with the sole purpose of recognizing the presence of God. We can think of it as built upon the principle of “hindsight is 20/20.” Reviewing the events of the day allows us to re-visit conversations, actions, and decisions—paying particular attention to the when and where of God’s activity.
The value here is the potential to identify the presence of God working in ways that we didn’t recognize in the moment. In fact, this practice was considered so helpful that it was one of the monastic rules that Ignatius instructed his order to do twice each day.
Of course, notice that this is called the Prayer of Examen. Discerning God’s will, listening to, and for, God’s voice, is not merely a mental exercise. We enter this discipline prayerfully.
Discerning God’s Voice Requires Trust and Honesty
Ultimately, we are asking the Lord to show us his presence and actions. In doing this, we embody a radical sense of trust; we trust that the Lord will highlight those places that are instructive for us. Along with this sense of intimate trust, we also need honesty. We easily get stuck if we believe this discipline needs to be appropriately solemn or pious. Ignatius encouraged people to speak to Jesus as they were speaking to a close friend, humbly, yet honestly. God is not interested in a relationship based on pretension or the saving-of-face.
Looking for God’s activity in our lives helps us discern God’s direction for us. We simply can’t discern God’s will for our lives, unless we’re able to recognize how God speaks to us. After all, the Shepherd’s voice guides the sheep. Christ doesn’t simply talk at us, he talks to us so that his will and direction for us can be discerned.
So, how do we engage in the Prayer of Examen today? Below are three easy ways to discern God’s will for your life:
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