Introduction
The word “Vocation” comes from the Latin “vocatio” which means “to call”. God is calling everyone to love and to serve Him in some way of life. These ways of life are called “vocations”. A vocation is different than a career. It is a basic way of life in which a career can be practised.


God calls us in diverse ways to different vocations.


God may call you to love and to serve Him as a SINGLE person or as one who is MARRIED.


Or perhaps God may be calling you to a
CONSECRATED life:

1.) PRIESTHOOD,
2.) RELIGIOUS LIFE (Religious Brother or Sister)
3.) CONSECRATED LAITY
(Lay Institutes, Secular Institutes).

Let us examine a few general attitudes and practices that will help you to discern God’s will.

1. WILLINGNESS AND OPENNESS

The first attitude is a total willingness to do what ever God wants you to do with your life.


 
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Tips for Discerning God's Will

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Don’t ask, “What do I want to do with my life?” but “Lord, What do YOU want to do with my life?”

Related to this is a general stance in life of openness. Learn to develop an attitude of alert, attentive openness. God normally “speaks” through the ordinary circumstances and events of our lives. God is more willing to communicate with us than we are willing to listen. Therefore, learn to slow down, and to be present to the present. Often God may be “speaking” but we are too busy and distracted to “hear” His “voice.”

2. LIVING IN GOD’S GENERAL WILL (Obedience)

In order to know what God wants for your life in the future, you must be willing to live in obedience to what you already know God wants now for everyone. You cannot determine God’s specific will if you are not living God’s general will. This general will is to love God with your whole being. We do this primarily by loving and serving God in our neighbours. It is through Jesus that we come to know God because he is God made manifest. Jesus is the greatest example of divine love.





 

  
   
 
3. PRAYER, SCRIPTURE, SACRAMENTS, THE CHURCH

We come to know God’s general will as it comes to us through Jesus from three primary sources: Prayer, Scripture and the Sacraments.

Prayer, Scripture and Reflection on Your Life
Make prayer time a priority and guard this time from being crowded out by business and distractions. Prayer is your spiritual life line. There is no discerning God’s will if you are not praying. Each day quiet yourself down and centre in on your relationship with Jesus. Meditate on Scripture and reflect on the events of your day and your life. Are you able to detect “patterns” which may indicate the way God calls or directs you? Can you detect a path in the direction of your life? Has there been a theme or an idea that has steadily persisted?

The Sacraments and the Church
Get to know Jesus through the sacraments especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation. You are never a church unto yourself. The Church is the whole people of God and in spite of its shortcomings, God has chosen to work through it. The primary place we receive Christ in Word and sacrament is in the context of the community - the Church. Get to know the people in your local church and become active in the Mass.


Volunteering, Experiencing
Volunteer in service-type ministries. Involvement gives God a chance to speak to you through people and events. You also give yourself a chance to discover what your gifts are. The more experiences you have the greater will be your knowledge of your gifts. This is important for discerning God’s will.

4. WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY

What do people say about your abilities to live a certain vocation? Often God “speaks” to us through those who know us like family and friends and especially those from the faith community.

5. SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

Seek out a Spiritual Director who will help you to discern God’s will. This person must be wise and preferably trained in spiritual direction. You must feel comfortable with this person while at the same time feel that he or she will challenge you.

6. KNOW YOURSELF

As you take time to pray regularly and become involved in the Church and in volunteering you begin to have a better idea of your desires, motives and talents. God knows you better than you know yourself and sometimes something may not seem to be for you at first but it may be exactly what fits you. God’s will for your life, however, is never a violation of who you are.

Desires and Motives
As you are completely willing to do whatever God wants and while you are actively pursuing what you already know God wants (for every one), pay attention, now, to what you want. If you are faithful to God, there is a good possibility that what you want is what God wants. Only when you are willing to give up all that you want – your hopes and dreams - to do what God wants, can you ask “what do I want.” Your will will be conformed to God’s will. The motives or the reasons behind what you want are not going to be based on “worldly” values but on God’s.

Talents and Gifts
When considering a certain vocation ask the question: Am I fit for the life? In other words, do I have the proper gifts for this vocation? If someone is unable to learn languages he may not be called to be a missionary, regardless of how much he likes this life. On the other hand, sometimes we don’t think we have an aptitude for something when, in fact, it is merely not developed yet. Discerning properly you will have a better understanding of what your talents are and what you could do potentially in the future.

7. CIRCUMSTANCES

External circumstances may play a part in discerning God’s will for your life. You may have the right gifts and motives and all the prerequisites for a certain vocation but if there are circumstances that block the way, then that may be a sign that this is not God’s will. On the other hand, if these circumstances are removed “providentially,” this may be a confirmation of your choice.

8. INVESTIGATE

Contact people in the vocation to which you feel called. Ask questions, and gather information. Try to get the “inside picture” of what the way of life is like. Spend some time thinking about your options. Look at the “pros” and “cons” of each option in the light of your gifts, talents, desires, motives and circumstances.

9. DECIDE

After collecting information and experiences you must eventually you MAKE A CHOICE. “We will never have mathematical certainty about the path ahead, but none of us can wait for that.” (Archbishop Thomas Collins) No option is going to be “perfect” but some options may fit you better than others. At the same time, there may be different options that fit you but in different ways. Some times you must choose one set of pros and cons for another different but equal set. Eventually you must make a choice and trust that God will be with you as He said He would. It is as if, God is saying “I gave you freedom and I gave you intelligence. You are a big boy / girl, make up your mind I will be with you all the way. If you have discerned properly and remain close to me, you will succeed in any vocation you choose.”

10. CONFIRMATION

The following advice on confirmation comes from Sr. Geraldine Kelly U.J.:

“After making a decision, you need to take time and wait for signs of confirmation.” Do not finalize the choice before God gives you some confirming signs. God always gives confirmation so that you do not deceive yourself. You can look for confirmation from at least three sources: the opinion of your counsellor, the approval of authority, and providential circumstances.

1. God will confirm your choice through the opinion of a prudent and knowledgeable Counsellor. …. If you withhold nothing from such a guide, his or her positive opinion will be a confirming sign for your decision.”

2. Personal decisions are usually subject to some established authority. Even though authority may seem to you to be mistaken, it is not God’s will that you should oppose legitimate authority in regard to personal choices. Such choices are not matters of justice and morality, but of personal decisions about the direction of your life. Approval by legitimate authority is a necessary confirming sign of your inner call.

3. Finally, God often confirms a personal choice by providential circumstances. Availability of a position, unexpected resources, unsolicited offerings, encouragement from unusual sources, a word of Scripture—all such things can be confirming signs of God’s inner call.

11. ACT

The last step is to put your decision into action. As you are completely given to God and are living to the best of your ability in His general will, and are regular in prayer, and discerning properly with a Spiritual Director, then as you begin to act on your decision, God will direct you to what He wants specifically for you. He will direct you by opening and closing doors of opportunity as you knock on them. God only closes a door in order to open another. Don’t wait for sky writing. God will move as you move.

If you have any questions concerning discernment contact Bro. Gerry at vocations@franciscanfriars.ca