How Will I Know?
Most of us who have ever wondered if the
vocation to religious life was for us must have asked the question, "how
will I know?" It comes in many forms. "What is God's will in my
life?" "How do I find happiness and fulfillment in my life?"
"What is the ultimate purpose of my existence?" "How will I know
that God is calling me to live the religious life as a priest, brother, or
sister?"
"How will I know that God is calling me to live the religious
life as a priest, brother, or sister?"
An inherent part of life is the responsibility to
make difficult, challenging, and sometimes even painful decisions. To make
important decisions often requires time, prayer, and discernment. Perhaps today
more than ever, we face a greater multiplicity and complexity of decisions in
ordinary day-to-day living. In the discernment process, we consider the
options, balance the advantages with disadvantages, and carefully examine the
consequences. "How will I know . . . what is good, right, or best? How
will I know what God is calling me to?"
Before the rainbow shown in the sky, perhaps
Noah wondered, "How will I know?" Before John the Baptist sent his
disciples from his prison cell to find Jesus he must have asked, "How will
I know?" When Thomas heard from the disciples that Jesus rose from the
dead, he must have struggled with the question, "How will I know?" As
Mary Magdalene gazed into the empty tomb that first Easter morning, she must
have pondered, "How will I know?"
Today, as in Jesus own time, God continues to
give signs to help us to decide, to discern and to know what the Lord is asking
us. In particular, there are four general signs which are often seen.
1.
Availability
and Openness
§ Am I open-hearted to
whatever God is calling me?
§ Am I disposed and free
to respond to that call?
2.
Desire
§ Do I sense a degree of
potential satisfaction, hope, or joy when I consider religious life?
§ If it is God's will, do
I trust that it can be fulfilled?
3.
Proper
Motivation
§ Is my primary
motivation of a spiritual nature, such as serving and loving God and God's
people?
§ Would I experience
adequate happiness and fulfillment?
4.
General
Disposition
§ Do I have reasonably
good health, emotional stability, social ease, and spiritual-centeredness?
In a
more specific way, there is a rather practical spiritual discernment process
which can be a tool or guide to help us determine what God is calling us to.
This discernment process combines reflection, prayer, dialogue, and Scripture.
(Resource:USCCB.org)
Are you discerning religious life?
Call us. Visit us. Email us.
Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids
2025 Fulton Street East
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
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