Examen for Christmas
Our Christmas Examen is a resource to help individuals to connect with God, reflect on 2023 and look forward to the New Year with hope.
Prepare for prayer
Begin by resting in God's presence
Perhaps place your hands facing up as a gesture of receptivity. Ask God to accompany you through this time of prayer.
Spend a few moments in gratitude.
Consider all the blessings and good things from your last few days.
Think of at least 3 things you are grateful for and tell God about them. They may be small things: a good book you're reading, seeing Christmas lights in the streets, catching up with an old friend.
Christmas is a time when we think about new life
Where might God be doing a new thing in your life?
This could be at work, at church, new connections, friendships or new opportunities. It could be the new year coming up and the chance to start afresh. Are you feeling excited about new possibilities? Do they feel a bit overwhelming? You might feel a mixture of emotions. Don’t try to analyse these feelings; acknowledge them, let them be and prepare to listen to what God may be saying to you in all of this.
Start to consider where you might like there to be new things in your life
This could just be the seeds of ideas. There might be something you've wanted or prayed for for a long time. Ask God about what may or may not happen. There might not be any definite answers, but perhaps some ideas you could consider exploring.
Consider how there might be new life in your relationship with God
How is your relationship with God? Do you feel close to God? Or has your prayer life dried up a bit? Could you try praying in a new way? You may feel God speaking to you through a particular Bible story. Perhaps there's a part of the Bible you're less familiar with that you could explore. Perhaps God is speaking to you through other people, or it could be a time in your life when it's hard to hear from God at all.
Offer your reflections up and ask God to show you God's view on it.
Christmas is also a time where we can give to others
Is God asking you to give to people in a new way? Perhaps you're drawn to helping a particular people or situation. Maybe you have talents to offer or a passion that you haven't explored fully. There could be opportunities in your church. Or people in your life already who God is calling you to invest in more.
Sometimes Christmas can be a difficult or lonely time
Take some time to reflect on your relationships
Think through the people you have or haven't seen this Christmas, or this year. Good friends may come to mind - thank God for those relationships. If there has been conflict or hurt, offer that to God. There may be a relationship that didn't turn out the way you wanted it to, or loved ones who are no longer with you. God sees you and will walk with you through the difficult times, even when you don't feel it.
Try to be really honest with yourself about what you’re feeling and why. Tell God about it.
There's sometimes pressure at Christmas to have a significant other
Offer God any feelings you may have about this. It's ok to find things difficult at Christmas - whether you want a partner or are choosing to be single. Spend some moments reminding yourself that you are a beloved child of God and that God has good plans for your life. Not every life looks the same, but all lives are equally important to God.
Think through all the thoughts, feelings and hopes you have considered in this prayer time
Which have you felt most strongly? Pause and reflect on where you’re being invited to grow from that moment. Where do you need God’s healing? Where is there cause for praise and celebration? Is there anything you are excited or encouraged about?
Listen to where God is speaking, and (though it may be difficult) consider both the positive causes for praise and the negatives.
What has been done has been done, what has not been done has not been done. Give it to God and let it be.