Five Moments

From Sacred Conversations: Exploring the Seven Gifts of Spiritual Direction

by Marsha Crocket and adapted by Donell L. Seager

Gather your journal and a writing instrument. Make yourself comfortable in your chair. Take several deep breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through mouth… In and out… In and out… In and out until you find yourself present to yourself and God. Ask the Spirit of God to guide you as you think through your day and bring to your mind five moments. They can be anything—a conversation, a kindness, a hurt, a reading—from the tiniest observance of a bug on a window to a major news event… In your journal, write down the five moments that were brought to your mind, without adding much detail.

Now sit with these five moments and hold them in silent prayer… What do you notice? Is there a commonality to them? Determine which one resonates with you most, stirring up a positive or negative emotion… Begin journaling about this moment using all five senses to describe the details of how it occurred or what you observed… What are your emotional, physical (bodily), and spiritual responses to that moment? What emotions does it prompt? What wisdom does it reveal?

After you’ve written all you have to say, spend a few minutes in silence, offering this moment to God and listening for promptings… What do you take into the future from this prayer encounter?

End your prayer with thanksgiving or a simple word of gratitude in your journal.