A Simple Way to End the Day with God, Inspired by Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius was born in 1491 at his family home in Loyola, near Azpeitia in the Basque region of northern Spain. He was once a soldier, but after being badly wounded in battle in 1521, his life began to change.
During his recovery and in the years that followed, he spent much time in prayer and reflection. His experiences later helped shape the Spiritual Exercises, a collection of prayers and practices meant to help people grow closer to God.
One simple practice from Ignatian spirituality is the Daily Examen.
The Examen is a prayerful review of our day with God. It is not just about remembering what we did wrong. We notice the good moments, the difficult ones, our choices, our mistakes, and even the little things we may have missed.
For many people, it can take around 10 to 15 minutes, usually near the end of the day. We do not need special or memorized prayers.
One simple way to practice the Daily Examen is:
• Thank God.
Think of something from the day that you are grateful for. It can be something big or very ordinary.
“Thank You, God, for this day and for the good things I received.”
• Ask for light.
Ask God to help you see your day clearly and honestly.
“Lord, show me what You want me to learn from today.”
• Review the day.
Go through the day in your mind. When did you feel happy, peaceful, loved, or grateful? When were you impatient, selfish, angry, dishonest, or unkind? Was there a moment when God may have been speaking to you?
No need to analyze everything. Just notice what stands out.
• Ask for forgiveness.
If there is something you regret, bring it honestly to God.
“Lord, forgive me for where I failed today. Help me learn and do better.”
• Look toward tomorrow.
Think about the day ahead and ask God for the help you may need.
“God, stay with me tomorrow. Guide my choices and help me love better.”
These prayers are only examples. We can compose our own. Some evenings we may have plenty to say. On others, our prayer may be only a few sincere sentences.
The Daily Examen is not about ending every day with a spiritual scorecard. It is about learning to recognize God in a life that can easily become too busy to notice Him.
Before the day disappears into yesterday, we give it one more look, this time with God.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ