10-29-11
Chapter 1
Tim McCoy
Desire - it’s where it starts. Phil. 2 He works in us both to desire and to
do the good work He has purposed for us. Ignatius’ outline is both
spiritual and rational. For us to come to this program (MCOKC) we made the
decision and set up rational steps.
With the examen, you realize that
you’re not all you could be. This examen is like a spiritual exercise. As you
begin to practice the examen, the other processes become easier; thanksgiving,
for instance. The process teaches you that God is there all day long.
Intentional is one of the words that
is used here for desire. You can let the world happen to you, or you can happen
to the world. You must intentionally live your life. You must purposefully
place yourself into training.
It begins with you realizing the first cause - That He loves me. We
do things because He loves us. This is the way we do it every day. Respond to
Him in love and thankfulness. As we do this, we become more like Him. 1 John 3:4 it is not yet clear what we shall
be…
Look at Abram- He travels to
places on the way to the Promised Land. At each place He sets up altars,
reflects, and gives thanks- that’s the examen.
We’re taking the time to let God speak
to us, to search us. And finally, God says, “Here it is.” It takes effort to
build an altar. God doesn’t need it- we do. Once that encounter has been
reached, it grows that desire in us. That desire to be more like Him, to know
Him more. As you do this, you begin to encounter Him and at the same time, you
learn what is influencing you towards good or evil. It is part of the journey.
As we do this, we are going to
experience a detachment to physical items and activities, and an attachment to the
things of God. Why? Because we begin to realize that our interactions with The
Spirit are priceless; fruitful and influential to our core being. But the
physical things of this world only have an external value, and so they have
less and less of an effect on us. Being in this world, but not of it.
We can’t see us as God sees us. Once
something is labeled, we begin to identify things as that. For instance, how
did Christ see the prostitutes and tax collectors? As sheep without a shepherd, misguided. Matt. 9:36. How did the rest of the community see them? Hopeless
sinners doomed to hell. How does God see you? Ask Him to show you.
When Abraham began, He had no idea
of what it would be like at the end. But He began the journey.
·
Begin with Gratitude- that’s what the Lord’s
Prayer does.
·
Then Petition- I want to know you more, Lord.
(invite Him in)
·
Review the day- your reactions, senses, communications.
Write it out, if you need to.
My reaction is not the reality; it’s the barometer of what happened.
Just because I felt like everyone was mean and on my case, doesn’t mean
they were. But it is good to be aware of how this made me feel so that:
1.
I can discern what is happening inside of me. (in
what direction my heart is moving)
2.
I can reorder my focus on what God is doing around
me and join in. (perhaps the over-reaction I’m having is something trying to
inhibit the building of a relationship that Father wants to grow. If I’m not
aware and addressing that within myself, that relationship won’t grow as He
wants it to.)
One good thing to remember: externally induced disturbances generally manifest an already existing interior trouble. If it’s a hard, rote, mechanical thing to do today, that’s ok, do it. God will bring fruit from it.
And this is what happens: you start having reactions that are not
yours. You are being centered in Christ. The discernment of the moving of
the spirits is not the focus. We have to learn the distinguishing marks of the
spirits so you know how not to react to them. The examen lets me take a look at
what my reactions were to them.
One thing - We call it this. Other
people call it something different, or don’t even have a name for it. Oral
Roberts did a type of this, as did other men of God. The focus is always this –
Look for how God has moved in your
day, and move with Him.
