I’m a list-maker. My cellphone holds lists that adjust from gadgets to get at totally different shops to presents or recipes for the vacations to challenge duties. These are cross-referenced by colour coding, deadlines, or individuals concerned. All this list-making offers me a way of freedom that at the least I gained’t overlook one thing necessary. My lists additionally give me a momentary sense of management to decide on if this merchandise is how I wish to spend my assets, whether or not time, cash, or social capital. I get to decide on, in freedom, what goes on my to-do record every day and what doesn’t. And therein, I discover God on each single record.
Once I make a day by day to-do record, God will not be one other merchandise to examine off the record. As a substitute, God is within the very phrases I write down that hour by hour, second by second, video name by video name make up my life. To what shall I give my treasured time in the present day? Is that this one thing I’m being referred to as to do? What’s my motivation? How do I want to point out up or be current to this process or the subsequent? The place will I prioritize taking good care of myself and discovering time for prayer?
I’ll confess to being a kind of individuals who provides issues to my record after I’ve accomplished them only for the serotonin thrill of crossing it off. What amazes me is what number of to-dos lay earlier than me within the coming day, week, or month, however as soon as they’re finished, they’re virtually irrelevant; I simply transfer on to the subsequent field to be checked off. Duties earlier than us can incite a spectrum of feelings, from worry and nervousness to pleasure and hope, however as soon as accomplished, they’re so typically forgotten. With the fun of crossing off duties from the record, it’s simple to overlook the gratitude and studying referred to as for with every accomplished process.
That is the place the Examen helps, by shining the highlight on my to-do record each day. Typically the duties I had anticipated to do needed to give approach to one thing sudden. Ta-da! The God of Surprises is busy once more. Typically I can see in hindsight that my feelings had been means out of proportion to the scenario. Ta-da! The grace of knowledge teaches me to acknowledge the observe of staying grounded. Typically I wish to cry tears of comfort and gratitude that I used to be requested to collaborate with the Spirit in that second. Ta-da! That’s clear proof to my coronary heart that the Spirit was at work!
Different occasions once I look again on my day’s to-do record, desolation wells up inside me, as I admit my interactions with others had been empty, hole, and surface-level, and I utterly missed the chance to have interaction. Even desolation garners a ta-da second that permits me to acknowledge and be taught. It calls me to concentrate a bit extra once I sit up for the subsequent day.
With out the observe of the Examen, life is straightforward to overlook. Ignatian spirituality calls us to seek out God in what we’re referred to as to do, do it with consciousness and collaboration with others, and look again and honor the presents every day held. Don’t hassle trying ahead for those who don’t additionally look again to seek out the “Ta-da!”
Picture by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay (phrases added).