God’s CPR Plan- The Daily Examen
The technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for you. By reflecting and replaying the events of the day, we can see what made us happy, feel joyful, and be grateful and at the same time, we see what events made us mad, stressed, worried, and sad, causing us to move away from God and his light.
Doing a daily Examen lets us face our shortcomings and find a resolution on them. See where God was present or absent in the activities of the day. It is a practical and useful method for better decision making and draws us closer in a prayerful life of “meditation” and “contemplation”. There is clear guidance in re-directing our thinking and feeling by cultivating an interior wellness of our soul.
God’s C.P.R.: Count, Pinpoint, Resolve
In 12 Weeks to Love and Witness, every day closes with God’s C.P.R., an evening Examen of surrender:
C — Count blessings received today. What gifts, graces, and presence did I notice?
P — Pinpoint trials and struggles. Where did I struggle or feel distant from God?
R — Resolve tomorrow’s intention. What will I do differently? Where did I sense God?
Weekly Pruning & Review: Declutter, Defog, Reset
Each week the Examen widens into a Pruning & Review. Declutter: what thoughts or emotions crowded my heart, and what needs to be released? Defog: after releasing the clutter, what truth is God revealing? Reset: how do I respond, and what is one small step God is asking me to take? The weekly review also revisits your M.A.P. (Mindset, Aim, Practice) and your Fasting Examen.
Count blessings. Pinpoint trials. Resolve. Close the day with surrender.