DiscerningYourVocn

Discerning your call …

St. Ignatius of Loyola, a 15th Century Spanish priest and the founder of the Jesuits, proposed several principles of spiritual discernment in his classic work The Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius said that the purpose of all life is to glorify God, and whatever choices we make should be to fulfill that end. With this purpose of all life in mind, it is possible to ask God what choice one is to make.

First, clearly name and place before God what exactly is the decision to be made … e.g. “Am I being called to be a Josephite Volunteer … Sister … Associate?”
Second, look at the advantages and disadvantages of making each alternative choice. While considering the advantages and disadvantages, try to understand the power and promise of each choice equally. You will open yourself to feeling the love of God move you in one direction or another.

In summary: These five steps might be helpful in helping you to clarify and discern what decision or course of action to take in dealing with the important life-decisions:

Information	Gather together all relevant facts and look at available material to help you clarify the important issues.
Question	Seek people with relevant experience for their opinions, advice or understanding but always remember it is you that must make the decision.
Reflect	Give yourself time to think, wonder, pray and listen, in order to discover the gradual revelation of the truth about what you should do.
Desire	Ask yourself, 'What do I REALLY want in this situation?'… ‘What is my deepest desire?’ Often the deepest wish of your heart will come clearer if you give it a chance.
God's Desire	What is God’s dream for me in the here and now? Taking time to reflect calmly will help you in discovering God's will in your life.

Spiritual Direction …

In order to grow in your spiritual life, it is recommended that you have a spiritual director. A spiritual director can help guide you in the discernment process.

Spiritual direction is the process of accompanying people on a spiritual journey. Spiritual direction helps people tell their sacred stories everyday. Spiritual direction exists in a context that emphasizes growing closer to God (or the holy or a higher power).

Spiritual direction invites a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy, counseling, or financial planning.

For more information about spiritual Direction and finding a Spiritual Director in Australia, New Zealand, or Internationally


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