4. Review of Prayer

Reviewing prayer allows reflection upon a prayer experience. This is not always helpful during prayer itself. It is also an aid to discernment of where and how God is at work, helping us to cooperate with what God is doing. The review can also be part of the preparation for further prayer, deciding whether to return to something ‘unfinished’, to savour longer or to move on to new material for prayer. If possible, do this in a different place from where you have been praying. Slowly recall the prayer period – rather like a video replay of the highlights. The following questions might help. It could be helpful to jot down your answers! Do not try to use them all. Find the ones that work for you:


◦ Was it good to be to be at prayer, or not?

◦ Why?


◦ What did you do at the beginning of prayer?


◦ Did any major idea or ideas occur to you?


◦ Did you have any strong feeling or emotion? Peaceful, creative, loving – or disturbing, unsettling, confusing, fearful?


◦ Did you feel God’s love, or were you resistant towards God?

◦ Did you learn something during prayer? How does that change how you act?


◦ Did you Lord ask something of you?


• Did you find any unwillingness in yourself in face of what the Lord seemed to want of you?


• Note particularly the movements that were strong: high and low points.


• Is there something that feels unfinished, that you are drawn to return to in the next prayer time?