The Daily Examen: A Sacred Gratitude Practice to Transform Your Spiritual Life
What is the Daily Examen and how can this ancient prayer practice transform your relationship with God? The Daily Examen is a beautiful gratitude-centered spiritual practice developed about 400 years ago by Saint Ignatius Loyola that's just as inspiring and transformative today as it was during his time in the 16th century.
This sacred practice combines gratitude, reflection, and prayer into a simple five-step process that helps you recognize God's presence in your daily life while cultivating a deeper awareness of God’s blessings and guidance.
“Give thanks always. It’s the greatest prayer we can offer, the greatest prayer we can do.”
— Josie Robinson
It's a simple practice, but amazingly powerful. Done daily over the course of a year, it will bring tremendous spiritual benefit and insight to your life.
How to Practice the Daily Examen: A Step-by-Step Guide
The Examen is an easy, five-step process you can use at the end of your day.
Find a quiet place free of interruptions and get into a calm, relaxed state either sitting or lying down. Allow yourself to enter into God's presence as you complete these five sacred steps.
This is one of my favorite gratitude practices, and why I included it in my book Give Thanks: A Gratitude Journal, where you'll find guided prompts to deepen this practice throughout the year.
The Daily Examen Prayer Practice
1. Become Aware of God's Presence
Look back on your day and note the times you felt God was with you, assisting and guiding your steps.
Feel God with you now in this moment and ask to become more conscious of God’s presence throughout your days.
Helpful Scripture meditation: It may be helpful to repeat a phrase like "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10), or any other prayer that connects your heart to your Higher Power.
Take time: Don't rush this step. Allow yourself to truly feel God's loving presence surrounding you as you begin this sacred time together.
2. Look Back with Gratitude
Review the past 24 hours and notice what you're thankful for. What happened to make you feel blessed? What gifts did God provide?
Look for both obvious blessings and subtle graces—a kind word from a stranger, unexpected help, moments of beauty, provision for your needs, protection from harm.
Give thanks: Take a moment to give genuine thanks to God for providing you with these blessings, both seen and unseen.
3. Take an Honest Look at Your Day
Note everything that happened over the course of the past 24 hours—your interactions with others, your emotions, your responses to challenges, moments of joy and difficulty.
We often rush through each day without pausing to reflect. Doing this deep, honest reflection of the past day in God's presence causes us to learn more about ourselves and how God is working in our lives, helping us improve our future actions and responses.
No judgment: Approach this step with compassion for yourself, knowing God's love covers all.
4. Choose One Part of the Day, and Pray About It
From doing your review, you might find something God is directing you to work on—an emotion that needs healing, a relationship that needs mending, an unpleasant situation that requires God’s wisdom.
Pray about it specifically. Ask for God's guidance to resolve it, healing where there's hurt, wisdom where there's confusion.
Trust in God: Remember that God desires to be involved in every aspect of your life, from the smallest concerns to the greatest challenges.
5. Pray for Tomorrow
Ask God to guide you tomorrow, leading you to your highest purpose and God’s perfect will for your life.
Send love and light to tomorrow, praying for wisdom and strength to walk in God’s ways and serve God’s purposes.
Feel deep gratitude, knowing God has already heard and answered your prayer and that tomorrow is already blessed and held in God’s loving hands.
Peace: Take some deep breaths, and rest in the knowledge that all is well because you are God’s beloved child.
Making the Daily Examen Part of Your Spiritual Routine
Creating sacred space for this practice:
Choose a consistent time: Most people find bedtime ideal, as it naturally concludes the day with God.
Create a peaceful environment: Dim lights, comfortable seating, perhaps a candle or cross to focus your attention.
Silence distractions: Turn off phones and devices to give God your full attention.
Be patient with yourself: Some days the practice will feel rich and meaningful, others may feel dry. Both are normal parts of spiritual growth.
Trust the process: God is working even when you don't feel God’s presence strongly.
A Free Gift for Your Prayer Life
Take this sacred practice with you anywhere:
This is such a beautiful prayer to end your day that I created a PDF copy for you to keep on your nightstand, so you don't have to look at a screen to read the instructions during this sacred time.
Click here to download a free PDF copy of The Daily Examen
Print it out and keep it in your Bible, journal, or beside your bed as a gentle guide for this transformative prayer practice.
Begin Your Sacred Practice Tonight
God is waiting to meet you in the quiet moments of gratitude and reflection.
The Daily Examen isn't just another spiritual discipline—it's an invitation into deeper communion with the God who loves you and wants to be intimately involved in every detail of your life.
All you need to begin:
A quiet space free from distractions
Your willingness to be honest with God
Five to ten minutes at the end of your day
An open heart ready to receive God’s love and guidance
Tonight, before you sleep, take those few precious minutes to look back on your day with God. Notice God’s presence. Thank God for God’s blessings. Bring God your concerns. Trust God with tomorrow.
In this sacred practice, you'll find the peace, gratitude, and spiritual connection your soul has been longing for.
May this ancient prayer bless your life as it has blessed countless faithful hearts for over 400 years. ✝️
Deepening Your Gratitude and Prayer Life
Ready to expand your spiritual gratitude practice?
Give Thanks: A Gratitude Journal
52 weeks of inspiring reflection on gratitude and grace
Perfect for those who love the Daily Examen: This guided journal includes the Daily Examen practice along with other beautiful gratitude exercises designed to deepen your relationship with God through daily thanksgiving and reflection.
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“I love the gratitude prompts given in the book. They helped me to look at all areas of my life and be grateful. I love the God part the most. This book in addition to ‘The Gratitude Jar’ book completes the story. It makes gratitude more believable.”
The Gratitude Jar: A Simple Guide to Creating Miracles
How gratitude practice can be a form of prayer
For those seeking hope through faith: This memoir shares how gratitude practice became a form of prayer that literally saved my life and restored my faith. You'll discover how daily thanksgiving can open your eyes to God's goodness and blessings, even during the darkest times.
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“I have a strong faith in God which included positive thinking and a heart full of gratefulness. Unfortunately several years ago I had several heart breaking things happen all at once. Instead of hanging on to God, my gratitude and joy, I lost my gratitude and joy. After reading The Gratitude Jar I now know where I went wrong and what I need to do to get back on track. Thank you for reminding me what I need to do to get back on track.”
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Deepen your prayer and reflection:
How to practice gratitude: 5 simple ways that transform your life - Additional gratitude practices that complement the Daily Examen
How to start a gratitude journal - Complete guide to daily thanksgiving and spiritual reflection
Create a family gratitude practice - Share the blessing of gratitude with children and loved ones
Self-compassion practices that actually work - Extending God's love and grace to yourself
