One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say: ” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

Luke 11:1-4

You can use this as an evening prayer to pray right before you go to bed. It’s a pray called the Prayer of Examen, and it’s been around for hundreds of years. I’ve modified it to be a bit easier to read and more relevant to a middle schooler’s life.

The purpose of this prayer is to help you talk with God about your day, as if you were sitting down with your daddy. It’s meant to be informal, more like having a conversation with a friend than reciting something. Journaling your answers is optional.

As you pray,

1. Realize God is with you, right now, in this moment, in this place.

Thank him for being your perfect Heavenly Father.

2. Tell God about your day.

• What did you do when you woke up?
• As you went to school?
• How were your classes?
• What did you do after school and before youth group?

3. Choose a couple of these questions and answer them to God.

• When did I sense your presence the most in my day?
• When did your presence seem farthest away from me in my day?
• How were you loving me in my day?
• How were you loving me even when your presence seemed far away?
• How did I respond to your love in my day?

4. From your day, was there someone or something that you need to talk
to God about? It can be any of the following:

• Where do you need forgiveness?
• Is there a class you need to improve in?
• Is there a temptation you need to deal with?
• Is there a friend who needs encouragement?
• Is there a family member who is dealing with issues?
• Did someone sin against you, whom you need to forgive?

5. Look toward tomorrow.

Thank God today and ask God to guide you tomorrow.