[Finding God in All Things] Day 38 – From Examen to Gratitude

Farmer of Hearts - Finding God in All Things

We had mentioned before that the "present moment" is the only time when we can truly "find God" and "encounter God". When we are fully present in the "here and now", that is the time when we can best experience God’s presence. However, for us to be able to achieve this state of "living in the present" does not happen overnight. Fortunately, we can establish some spiritual habits to help us build and strengthen the spiritual muscles of "living in the present".

St. Ignatius of Loyola developed a prayer practice based on his habit of daily reflection. It helps us recognize God’s presence and footprints in our lives by taking time every day to reflect on our life experiences and the blessings He bestows on us through the people and things we encounter on that day. This prayer method is called the "examination of consciousness", or the Examen, done once or twice a day, usually in the middle of the day and in the evening. St. Ignatius’ intention was to gradually bring the habit of examination of consciousness into our lives through this prayer practice. As we become more aware of and sensitive to God's presence and blessings, we can more easily find God in all things in the present moment.

Jesus once reminded us that the first step in following Him is to "deny ourselves". In an earlier stage of the retreat, we mentioned that we are God's true opponents because we put ourselves and our pursuits and desires first in our lives. If we do not know what attracts and binds us, how can we know what we should renounce or let go of? However, if we have the habit of examining our consciousness every day, taking time to reflect on our desires, motives, and sinful tendencies, we can gradually get to know ourselves better and recognize areas where we are prone to stumble. By seeking God's help early on, we can deny ourselves more easily and overcome issues of pride and self-centeredness.

Besides helping us review and acknowledge our shortcomings, the most important and primary focus of the Ignatian examination of consciousness is giving thanks to God for the blessings, big and small, in our daily lives. We often find ourselves in a state of ingratitude, even though we are not to the point of repaying good with evil. We rarely realize or acknowledge God's blessings in our lives. Instead, we feel that we deserve them, or even think that they are due rewards because of our abilities. Ultimately, we will regard ourselves as the masters of our lives. In this state, our focus is solely on ourselves, and we fail to find God in all things. Over time, we become numb to the various blessings in our lives and take them for granted. When we fail to recognize that the blessings in our lives are gifts from God, it is the same as denying God and His love for us.

According to St. Ignatius, ingratitude is the root of all sins because one definition of sin is misusing the gifts God has given us. If we wish to repay God’s love, learning to express gratitude to Him is an effective way to show our love for Him. It is also a virtue that Christians who desire to "find God in all things" should develop.

When we can recognize that our lives have been blessed by God, it will induce in us a desire to give back to God and to imitate His selfless generosity to bless others. This is the best way for us to "repay God’s love" as He desires!

Just as Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Matthew 25:40)

The better we can imitate Christ, the more we can live according to His teachings, the more we will be like Him, and the more we will be able to reveal the face of God to those we encounter.

Reflection

Do you take time for self-examination every day? Did today's reflection give you more motivation to develop or improve the habit of daily examination of consciousness?

Do you recognize the blessings of God in your life easily, and do you express gratitude for these blessings? How can you make yourself a more grateful Christian?

Now, invite the Lord to guide you on how to establish good spiritual habits in your life to help you achieve the goal of denying yourself and becoming more like Christ.

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding me today to build the habit of daily examen. I realize that I am not sensitive to Your presence and blessings in my life. I often feel that the various gifts You have given me are what I deserve and I take them for granted.

Lord, I apologize for my ungrateful attitude towards You. Please forgive me! Please grant me greater determination to take You more seriously and to fulfill my promises to You through action, so that I do not disappoint You again!

Lord Jesus, I truly desire to find You in all things. Please do not let my self-centeredness replace Your primary position in my life. Teach me to surrender to You every day...

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