The Two Questions

One of the most effective practices I know to help me notice and savor God’s presence in the ordinary stuff of my life is an evening ritual I call “the two questions.” It can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it; light a candle, spend some time in silence as you reflect on your day, write your responses in a journal, or incorporate this into your other daily prayer rituals. The daily-ness is the most important factor.

The two questions are these:

God, where did I feel your nearness today? And where did I feel distant from you?

Take a few moments to respond with whatever prayer wells up in you. Give thanks that you sleep and wake in God’s loving presence, and pray for the grace to recognize the Holy more clearly.

This is a version of the Examen, an ancient Christian practice of daily prayer. Sleeping with Bread: Holding what gives you Life, by Dennis and Sheila Fabricant Linn, is a clear and comforting book that teaches this practice more extensively. It looks like a children’s book, but the content is written for adults. If you have a child in your life, though, teaching them to ask these questions will be a beautiful gift.