Beginning to notice God’s guidance and listening more consciously to it in daily life can be learned through the Prayer of Examen, an ancient Christian practice.
Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, and breath naturally. Look back over the activities of the last 24 hours. Think about the people you met, the things you did, the places you went, the conversations you had. Look for times when you felt you were responding to the world around you in a way that seems to be in accordance with God’s hopes and desires. Make a list of the things you did or said that seem consistent with God’s will for you and for the world.
Now, list times in the last 24 hours when you felt you were resisting God’s desires for you, when you were moving away from God. Take a few moments to silently ask for God’s forgiveness and remember that God has mercy on us and loves us.
Finally, sit quietly for a couple of minutes and listen for God’s response to you.
This message is excerpted from “Listening to God,” a 2013 resource of the Women of the ELCA, written by Debra Farrington.
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