Hi Carole…Perceiving a restlessness or a dissatisfaction of where one is in life can be a time to start considering one’s options and of which doors may be open to one. Sometimes we know in our hearts which way to move and sometimes one may not. If I know in my heart which way to move and there are no complications in doing so, then perhaps the time has come to make a move. If I am doubtful or confused about the road ahead, then it is time I think to seek spiritual direction. The important thing whichever way one decides, is not to burn bridges behind unless one is very sure and confident or it is a case of “must”…one needs to leave as many doors open as one can.
To bloom or to go forward? Not to know can be very true at times in life, but rest assured that providing nothing is sinful that The Lord will not allow you to go astray. You may indeed make a wrong decision (though not sinful) but this will become clear to you and you could move back to square one again, or in some other direction that has become apparent through making this wrong move and this can happen.
It is not that the direction was actually “wrong” for there was nothing sinful in it. The Lord has His reasons which often the head nor heart can know and the only thing that is not God’s Will is sin. We can tend to think that God’s Will is something like ours in that our decisions - our will, automatically excludes other options. Very often God’s Will is not something fixed to the exclusion of all else (but it is in the case of sin). God gives us options and no matter what one may choose, His Will will be accomplished.
My own concept would be that if one is confused/dissatisfied it is time to seek spiritual direction - and this actual spiritual direction rather than providing a clear answer to a clear question will probably be a journey and cover a few appointments, perhaps even many. I think with Philip in Jerusalem it became necessary to avoid the persecution and so he had to move on into Samaria which proved a rich vineyard. However, I don’t think it is necessarily so that when one door closes and we must move on that the reason for moving on becomes immediately apparent as with Philip.
May I ask what you mean by “burn-out”? It can mean different things to different people.
In confusion and dissatisfaction and absolutely in any disturbance of Peace of heart, mind and soul, the wisest of moves is to ask expert advice, or spiritual direction. But to answer your question I think difficulty or suffering of any kind becomes a strengthening process, simply because the virtues may be no longer practiced with ease. Sometimes in life when a door closes it brings difficulty and suffering even though we do embrace the change.
Where the meditation states “rely on Faith”, I think this should be foundational always in life no matter our interior dispostion, to place active trust and confidence in The Lord to be our guide and to keep us safe and indeed travelling His road…and even if I am using the logic and reason He has given me in discerning some decision - for often His Grace and His inspiration is secret and not at all felt. In other words, as I use my God gifted logic and reason to sort through some problem to be prayerful about it asking The Lord to guide and inspire my logic and reason.
I hope this might be helpful in some way. I thought this Daily Meditation was a particularly good one, and perhaps to read it prayerfully over a few days or more may prove helpful.
A time of deep disturbance and unrest however, is not the best of times to make a decision - probably the worst and has nothing to recommend it … and if this is a persistent state then one should seek spiritual direction. Peace of heart, mind and soul is a great criteria of spirituality and fruit of the workings of The Holy Spirit.
I advocate spiritual direction because a spiritual director has means and Graces that are just usually not present in an exchange of posts………nor even in the intimate exchange of great friendship. And a good spiritual director is gold in the spiritual realm - pure gold. If one is committed to living a deep spiritual life, then to seek out a good spiritual director is the best of moves. Certainly if one is considering something major in one’s life to seek advice is prudent and wise prior to making any actual major change.
A very long response on my part and possibly too long, …I hope that something in it somewhere, or in the links below may just click into place for you.
Blessings and my regards…Barb
This is a rather good article I think. I picked up the link from another thread:
here
Also read Galations by St. Paul as the above article recommends.
here
Finally…In my own life I went through a time of not knowing what God’s Will actually was and I found the prayerful reading of Abandonment to Divine Providence by de Caussade sorted me out so much so I could not understand why something so sweet, so simple had been so shrouded in darkness for me.
here
But can we become locked in our traditions so much that we fail to embrace the new horizon ahead?
Lord, give us wisdom, give us the power to believe in you and to trust you. Help us to know your Word (and particularily the Word that become Flesh and dwelt among us - JESUS) - to to let that word dwell in our hearts and minds!!! Amen
An excellent analogy! I have the feeling more will come to put this to rest, especially as we continue these readings from St. James. He is such a model of practicality.
