Restorative Prayer, with Megan Koch
Module 7: Awareness — Meeting 2
Meeting 2
DISCUSS the Introduction to Awareness essay and your experiences with the Examen practice:
Discussion
Questions
1. After interacting with Steve DeNeff’s sermon, the Introduction to Awareness essay, and the Examen practice so far, how would you define the practice of “awareness?”
2. “As disciples, we must learn to see everything through Jesus; the good and the bad…. We understand more than what meets the eye, because we see everything in light of Jesus.” Awareness allows us to make Christ the lens through which we view everything, ranging from large, significant life changes to small, insignificant daily happenings.
Take a moment to creatively think (or better yet, see) how Christ is present in the following:
• Your work
• Your kids / parents / family
• Your morning rhythms
• Your favorite drink
• A recent conversation with a friend or co-worker
• A pet
• A negative interaction you had with someone
• A positive interaction you had with someone
3. Now, take another moment and reflect how Christ is present with you right here, right now… What’s he doing within you? Your discipler? How was he present in the process of making the table you’re sitting at? Who else is around you, and how may Christ be present there with them? What else is happening in your current surroundings that’s evidence of God at work?
Get creative, and press in to what the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you here in this moment.
4. Another part of awareness isn’t just seeing what’s going on with God, but what’s going on within you. Turn now to your examen practice from this week. How was the experience with this new prayer practice, overall?
5. What were some key insights you gained about God’s involvement in your days?
6. When “examen-ing” your days, did you learn anything about yourself? What caused you to be hurt, frustrated, or sad? Why?
7. St. Ignatius calls anything that’s “bad” about our days as moments of “desolation,” because we’re drawn away from God in those moments through hurt, pain, or suffering. When doing your examen practice, how were you able to see Christ present during those moments? Did he offer you relief?
8. When the examen prayer is practiced regularly, it creates the habit of actively seeing God throughout your day, and even allows you to look ahead to the next day and inviting God into the moments that are expected to be the most stressful. If this practice has been beneficial, continue to practice it regularly! There are a bunch of different ways to practice the examen, and Mark Thibodeaux book, Reimagining the Ignatian Examen is a great resource for these unique prayer exercises.
CLICK HERE to access Mark’s book!
Assignment: Watch and take notes over the video, “Restorative Prayer,” by Pastor Megan Koch located below. Afterward, go back to your timeline from Module 5. Based on what you learned in the video, consider how Jesus may have been present in some of those past wounds. Journal some notes to share at your next meeting.
How the Examen Works
The Examen is a short, daily prayer of reflection developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the sixteenth century. Ignatius believed it was so important that if his followers could only pray once a day, it should be the Examen. It usually takes ten to fifteen minutes and follows five simple movements:
Presence. Pause and remember that you are in God’s presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Gratitude. Look back over the day and thank God for specific gifts, big and small.
Review. Walk through the day hour by hour. Notice your emotions and reactions.
Respond. Choose one moment — a moment of joy, pain, failure or grace — and talk with God about it. Thank him, confess, or ask for help.
Look forward. Ask God for what you need tomorrow.
Consolation and Desolation
Ignatius used two helpful words for the movements of our hearts. Consolation describes moments that draw us toward God: joy, peace, love, gratitude, a sense of purpose. Desolation describes moments that pull us away from God: anxiety, bitterness, discouragement, shame. Both are worth noticing. Consolation shows us where God is at work and what gives us life. Desolation can reveal wounds, fears or habits God wants to heal. Over weeks of practising the Examen, patterns begin to emerge that help us make wiser decisions and pray more honestly.
Restorative Prayer for Painful Moments
Sometimes the Examen surfaces moments that hurt: a harsh word, a memory, a disappointment. Restorative prayer, introduced in this meeting, invites us to bring those moments to Jesus. Picture the moment, invite Jesus into it and ask, "Lord, where were you? What do you want me to know?" Listen, and write down what comes to mind. Always test what you sense against Scripture and share it with your discipler. For deep wounds or trauma, consider also seeking help from a pastor or trained counsellor.
Tips for Your Second Week of the Examen
Pray at the same time each evening so it becomes a habit.
Keep your journal nearby and write a sentence or two each night.
Do not try to review every moment; let the Spirit highlight what matters.
If you miss a day, simply begin again.
At the end of the week, read back through your notes and look for patterns.
For the Discipler
Share an example from your own Examen practice: a moment of consolation, a moment of desolation and what you learned. Encourage your disciple not to judge their emotions but simply to notice them with God. Awareness grows slowly and gently.
Looking Ahead
Next, in Meeting 3, you will explore how God is present in your everyday work.
Continue the Pathway — You are in Module 7: Awareness, Meeting 2 of 4. Previous: Meeting 1 — Seen to Unseen. Next: Meeting 3 — Finding God at Work. Every essay, worksheet and video for this module is collected on the Module 7 resources page.