Prayer and Reflection
How to Pray the Daily Examen
The Daily Examen is a short prayer for looking back over your day with God. It takes a few minutes, needs no preparation, and helps you notice His mercy in ordinary hours. Here’s how to pray it.
What Is the Daily Examen?
The Examen is a prayerful review of the day. You come into God’s presence, thank Him, look honestly at the day, respond to what you see, and ask for grace for tomorrow. It’s most closely associated with Ignatius of Loyola, who taught it in the 1500s, and Christians in many traditions pray it today.
In Christ you’re forgiven and loved, so you can look honestly at your day with God. You look back with Him to give thanks, turn from sin, and walk with Him tomorrow.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.”
The 5 Steps of the Daily Examen
- 1
Presence
Be still and remember that God is with you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see your day honestly. You can look back without fear, because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
- 2
Gratitude
Look back over the day and thank God for specific gifts. A meal, a conversation, a kindness, help you didn’t arrange. Name them one at a time.
- 3
Review
Walk through the day from morning until now. Notice where you loved God and other people, and where you sinned or turned away from Him. Bring Him your fears and worries too.
- 4
Response
Choose one moment that stays with you and talk to God about it honestly. Confess sin and receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9), ask for help or healing, or simply give thanks.
- 5
Tomorrow
Look ahead to tomorrow. Ask for the specific grace you’ll need, and place the day in God’s hands.
Try a Five-Minute Examen Tonight
- 1Be still for 30 seconds. Pray, “Lord, You are here. Help me see today the way You see it.”
- 2Give thanks for one minute. Name three specific gifts from today.
- 3Review for two minutes. Walk through the day from morning on. Where did you sense God’s nearness? Where did you sin or turn away?
- 4Respond for one minute. Talk to God about one moment. Confess, ask for help, or thank Him.
- 5Look to tomorrow for 30 seconds. “Jesus, thank You for being with me today. Forgive my sins, and help me follow You tomorrow. Amen.”
When the Examen Feels Hard
When it turns into a list of failures
The Examen begins with God’s presence and with thanks for a reason. You are reviewing the day with your Father, who already knows it and is not surprised by you. “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:13).
When you can’t remember much
Pick one moment. A single honest conversation with God about one part of the day is a real Examen.
When you miss a night
Pray it the next night, and review only that day. There’s nothing to make up.
Pray the Examen in Bearing Fruit
Bearing Fruit includes a free Daily Examen that walks you through these same five steps. It’s free on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
- Each step has a short prompt and a few suggestions that change from day to day.
- Choose 5, 10, or 15 minutes, a custom length, or no timer, and pray in silence or listen to guided audio where it’s available in your language.
- Write an optional note of thanks and the grace you’re asking for. Your notes stay on your device.
- Link it to a scheduled practice, and finishing the Examen checks it off. A missed night never erases your progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Daily Examen?
The Daily Examen is a short prayer for reviewing your day with God. You become aware of His presence, thank Him for the day’s gifts, look honestly at where you drew near or pulled away, respond in confession or thanks, and ask for grace for tomorrow. It usually takes 5 to 15 minutes.
Is the Examen biblical?
The word “Examen” isn’t in the Bible, but the practice draws on Scripture. Lamentations 3:40 says, “Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.” Psalm 139:23 prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.” It rests on the gospel promise that God forgives those who confess their sins (1 John 1:9).
Is the Examen only for Catholics?
No. The Examen is most closely associated with Ignatius of Loyola, who taught it in his Spiritual Exercises in the 1500s, and Christians in many traditions pray it today. At its heart it is honest prayer with Scripture, thanks, confession, and asking God for help.
Should I pray the Examen in the morning or the evening?
Most people pray it in the evening, looking back over the day. Some also pause at midday. Choose the time you can keep, and keep it short enough to return to.
Is there an app for the Daily Examen?
Yes. Bearing Fruit includes a free Daily Examen that walks you through all five steps, with optional audio and a length you choose. Lectio 365 includes a night prayer based on the Examen, and Hallow includes the Ignatian Examen among its guided prayers.
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End your day with God.
Bearing Fruit is free on iPhone, iPad, and Android, with a guided Daily Examen. Missing a day never erases your progress.