Recognizing the Different Ways in Which God Works in My Daily Experiences

AWARENESS EXAMEN:

Recognizing the different ways in which God works in my daily experiences

All the experiences of my daily life manifest the presence of God in some way. It is helpful to grow in attentiveness to the various ways God does manifest His presence to me, to the various ways God is acting on my behalf. The following exercise may help me to grow in this attentiveness.

1.I place myself in the presence of the Lord and pray for enlightenment. I relax and let my honest feelings surface.

2.I ask the Lord to help me recognize the human sources of myexperience.

3.I now pay attention to the ways by which the Lord has beenpresent to me today. Some questions may help:

A.Did I feel drawn to the Lord anytime today through abook, a companion, art, music, nature, an event, aletter, etc.?

B.How did I meet the Lord?

in fear? in a misunderstanding? in temptations? in joy? in suffering?

C.How did the word of God come alive to me today?

In myprayer? in my reading? in song? through Scripture? liturgy? in conversation?

D.How has the Lord moved me today?

from excessive self-confidence to greater trust in God? from my plans and my ways to God’s? from a lack of self-acceptance to a greater acceptance of and peace with myself?

E.How have I felt moved to go out of myself?

to the lonely? to those suffering from injustice? to my enemy? to comfort another? to the discouraged? to change a sinfulsocial structure?

F.What has happened today that I should be grateful and
thankful for?

G.How do I look forward to the future?

Am I despondent,discouraged, fearful, hopeful, grateful, etc.? If so,
why? I must be honest with myself and not repress my true
feelings.

H. Is there some area in my heart where I experience God calling me to conversion? If so, I ask for this gift and I wait for its expression in sorrow and in hope.

4.I spend some time talking over these matters with the Lord.

5.I jot down in a journal what I have discovered.