Examination!

January 18, 2023

Examination!

I’m too busy! 

I’m too distracted! 

I’m too sad! 

I have too much doubt! 

I have too much depression! 

I have too much fear!

There are many excuses and maybe even a few good reasons why we do not spend time reflecting on how our life of holiness is going.  We too often fail to ask questions about our relationship with Jesus, our dependence about God’s grace, and our surrender to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We yearn for peace deep in our soul, love overflowing in our heart, and joy defining our life.  And yet, making the time to look closely at the health of our spiritual life is not something that often takes top priority.  Additionally, we may not know where to start with this kind of evaluation. 

The Christ-followers in the first century church at Corinth struggled with the same thing in their spiritual life.  In II Corinthians 13:5 the Apostle Paul writes; “Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!”

Paul calls the Christ-followers in that church to “examine” themselves.  He wanted them to do a deep and frequent testing of their relationship with Jesus as well as an evaluation of how their faith in the Lord God was growing.

Paul asks, “Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?”  The apostle reminds the people that because Jesus lives in them…their heart, mind, and soul…they are called to do a regular check as to the health of their relationship with Jesus.

Examination is an ancient spiritual discipline that assists the Christ-follower in discerning God’s presence and the Spirit direction in my life.  When we practice the spiritual discipline of examination we begin to see God’s hand at work in all dimensions of our life.

In his “Spiritual Exercises” Ignatius Loyola designed a set of disciplines to assist in our daily spiritual examination.  We can look at these disciplines as a pattern for prayer in which our deepest desire to know and love Jesus is nurtured and set free to grow our relationship with Jesus.

 Here is one expression of Ignatius’ daily examination (found at Ignatianspirituality.com).

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

Without a frequent examination of our relationship with Jesus, the life of holiness to which we are committed will become more and more filled with distractions and disappointments and discouragements or with complacency and boredom and dullness.

Examination of our spiritual life helps us to stay focused on Jesus, to be grateful for the goodness of God, and to stay aware of the things that become obstacles to us drawing nearer to our Lord Jesus.  Examination of our spiritual life helps us to discern the direction Jesus wants us to go, the people we need to forgive, and the poor we are called to serve.

I invite you to visit with a friend this week.  Ask your friend if they will hold you accountable for doing a daily examination of your spiritual life using Ignatius’ questions for the next 30 days.  Maybe they will commit to a daily spiritual examination, too.

It is not difficult to imagine that through this brief season of examination there will be moments of deep insight or intense conviction or renewed delight in the Lord.

In II Corinthians 13:5 the Apostle Paul writes; “Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith.  Test yourselves.”  I encourage you to engage in Ignatius’ daily examination for the next 30 days.  As you engage in this spiritual discipline, look for delight in the Lord to grow in your heart.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug