Conducting a Financial Examen
Written by: Dr. Karen-Marie Yust
Introduced by Ignatius Loyola in the 15th century, Examen is a Christian practice of reflection on one’s day in order to discern God’s presence and seek God’s direction. It involves five basic steps: 1) Invoking God’s Spirit to be with us; 2) Reviewing our day; 3) Paying attention to how we felt during various activities; 4) Identifying some choices or activities we want to improve; and 5) asking for God’s help to grow. We can modify this practice to help us focus on where God is in our financial activities and what God might desire for us as competent financial stewards of the resources we have.
Step 1: Acknowledge that God is with you in the making of financial decisions as well as other matters. Sometimes we relegate God to more obviously spiritual activities rather than admitting God to the financial aspects of our lives.
Step 2: Review your financial choices and activities during the past 24 hours. Where did you spend money? When did you deliberately refrain from spending? What activities relied significantly on previous financial investments or might prompt future spending to maintain your involvement?
Step 3: Note your emotions during the day’s activities. Did your financial choices evoke gratitude for God’s provision? A sense of entitlement? Feelings of deprivation or achievement? In what ways were your activities in service of God’s desires for you and for the world?
Step 4: Pick a financial decision or activity that falls short of how you want to live as a disciple of Christ. Ask God to help you imagine changing that financial practice, and then spend a few minutes imagining possibilities.
Step 5: Commit to acting differently tomorrow, with God’s help. Pick one of the imaginative possibilities and ask God for the strength to implement that option the next time you are faced with a similar choice or engaged in that activity.
Not everyone feels comfortable conducting a financial Examen every evening. If you do not have time or energy for a daily Examen, consider implementing this practice weekly or monthly, focusing primarily on major financial decisions that occur between your periods of reflection. Even an annual Examen can help us see our financial practices more clearly and make changes as needed to bring them into alignment with God’s expectations.
Question for Reflection
- How often will you practice a financial Examen?
