How does one discern God's will?

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I have had many times (as I’m sure you all have) where I just need an answer!! I pray for strength to do God’s will in all things, but how do you know if you’re doing God’s will? Is it a sense of peace? Is it a certainty within your soul that you’re doing the “right” thing? Sometimes I pray and pray, but never “feel” that sense that I’m doing God’s will.

How do you discern God’s will for your life?
 
Follow the commandments. Have you done that? Be humble. Pray. Reach out to others. Go to Mass. That seems to be God’s will to me at least…
 
God’s will is not found by feeling. It’s found through action. Follow the two greatest commandments: love God above all else and love your neighbor as yourself. The 10 Commandments fall under both of these. Avail yourself of the sacraments. You will receive much grace–spiritual armor–from Holy Communion and Confession to help you fight the good fight.
 
Well, I have out and out asked God for a sign before. I thought it was that I lacked faith, my confessor thought it showed great faith that I could and recieve.

I spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament – or Tabernacle – the wall of the ciborium and Tabernacle are nothing to the Savior of the World. Sometimes, when I pray awhile and then just sit there basking in the glow of His love ( I often percieve light descending on me when I close my eyes. I usually adore at 2:00 AM so isn’t the daylight.)

Now since I sound delusional, I have fully informed my confessor of the interactions Jesus has had with me. He hasn’t blocked any of the adoptions we have entered into even though I have an unusual relationship with the Eucharisitic Lord. I am not his only parishioner who has such an aberration, so I guess he is used to people like me.

Back to when I asked for a sign – I got three. God knows I am highly distractable. It was about adopting our first child – a medically handicapped baby girl. We did adopt her. It was a wonderful seven years that she lived, but she died about five yearrs ago. I don’t think I misread anything – one of the signs was the music chosen for a Mass I was cantor for. The song by James Moore, “I Will Be With You” was part of the line up – every song had a promise that seemed perfect that week.

I believe God is still with me even though things didn’t go the way would have liked.
 
Mamamull,

I am so sorry for the loss of your precious daughter. I can not imagine the pain you must feel.

With our three adoptions, I asked God for signs as well. For our 3rd child, I had many tell me that we shouldn’t adopt for a 3rd time. We had 4 failed adoptions before getting our precious little girl. In that case I just knew that we had to persevere until we adopted that 3rd time. She is 5 years old now and, of course, I can’t imagine life without her.

Sometimes while visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I am able to put aside my anxieties and really hear what He is telling me. Lately, I almost sense a door closing when asking for direction. At other times, I have an inclination of what God’s will is for me, but there are so many roadblocks that I get confused as to whether I’m discerning correctly. I’ve heard others tell me that they know something is God’s will when they feel more “at peace” with one decision over another.

I guess I’m going through a particularly anxious time right now and I need direction from Our Lord. I just feel lost and confused over decisions that must be made.

Anyone else have ways that they discern God’s will for their lives?
 
Dear Maramull,

>>> Back to when I asked for a sign – I got three.
Did you know that God very often speaks in threes when the matter is important? I’m thinking at the moment about the three-fold vision St. Peter had of the sheet, which was finally his confirmation to go to the gentiles in the incident with Cornelius’s household. Formerly, they were commissioned only to go to the lost sheep of Israel. (I think the story is in Acts 10)

What is significant is that God sent these visions just prior to the moment when the servants of Cornelius were at the door, by way of guidance to Peter. In other words, “this vision” is in connection with “that visitation.” God quickened his heart to see the correlation and action he should take.
 
Gianna,

I will pray today about your post, and see what God inspires. I can think of a lot of things to say in my humanness, but nothing is particularly jumping out at this moment.

Prayerfully,
Carole
 
The Holy Spirit is your best friend in discerning God’s Will. You can be sure if you embark on something that there will be nigglings in your conscience if God is trying to steer you away from a particular path. The Holy Spirit will convict your conscience and lead you to His Holy Will for you individually.

If you experience no nigglings, if it all feels like a duck taking to water, infact if there is silence from God, then you can be sure that God is leading you into what is His Will for you.

This has always been my way of discerning God’s Will and it has not failed me yet

God’s silence and peace in your heart is the sign that you are doing His Will

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
I simply pray for God’s direction and then I immediately act on my inspirations. I pray that the Lord would bring obstacles before me if those inspirations do not genuinely come from Him but if they are truly divinely inspired then I know everything would fall into its proper place.

In 1991 when I learned about the existence of a Third Order Carmelite I was on my weekly schedule at the PEA Chapel. There I earnestly prayed to Jesus to please manifest His will for me in a very concrete manner because I would only join the TOC if it was His will for me.

Later I visited a Catholic bookstore in the area and the very first book that caught my eye was the book “Welcome to Carmel”, a handbook for aspirants to the OCDS. That for me was the sign I was waiting from Him.

Please feel free to read my sharing on “How God Called Me To Carmel” at

http://gemini525.blogs.friendster.com/a_blue_skylark/
Just my two cents.

Nimfa
 
Chapter 1 of F B Meyer ***The Secret of Guidance ***

explains about God’s will.
 
Excellent reference, Buzzcut!

Gianna,

I don’t have anything further to respond, as I promised you, for Buzzcut’s article is full of Divine wisdom! Many of the thoughts there are things I wanted to say, but did not know where to begin. He just saved me a ton of typing! 😃

Carole
 
Oh yes Carole. I just finished the article that Buzzcut recommended. I’m almost breathless after reading it. It touched my soul to the point of tears. Thank you Buzzcut.
 
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springbreeze:
If you experience no nigglings, if it all feels like a duck taking to water, infact if there is silence from God, then you can be sure that God is leading you into what is His Will for you.
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This makes sense to me Teresa. Maybe that is why God seems so silent to me right now. Perhaps I am on the right path.
 
Folks,

In considering the topic of this thread, I strongly recommend this book: Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment, by Fr. Thomas Dubay.
 
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Giannawannabe:
I have had many times (as I’m sure you all have) where I just need an answer!! I pray for strength to do God’s will in all things, but how do you know if you’re doing God’s will? Is it a sense of peace? Is it a certainty within your soul that you’re doing the “right” thing? Sometimes I pray and pray, but never “feel” that sense that I’m doing God’s will.

How do you discern God’s will for your life?
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I read this book by Fr. Michael Scanlan called “What does God want?” a couple years ago. It was relatively short (less than 130 pages) and had great practical advice in an easy to read/understand format.

Here’s a link to it on Amazon.com if you want to read reviews.
 
Wow, Esclavo, thank you for resurrecting this thread - it feels like you did it just for me. I am up late because I cannot sleep - I am in the midst of adopting our 2nd child, and pray fervently we are doing the right thing - wanting to know if this is His Will for our family and this child.

Springbreeze - “God’s silence”: the day after a critical point in the adoption process, I was outside walking in the neighborhood, thinking, and for a short while I noticed TOTAL SILENCE. No birds, no cars, it seemed surreal. Could that have been God making it obvious for me?

Gianna, thank you for starting this thread.
 
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Giannawannabe:
Oh yes Carole. I just finished the article that Buzzcut recommended. I’m almost breathless after reading it. It touched my soul to the point of tears. Thank you Buzzcut.
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Giannawannabe, I’m glad you got something out of that article. I got a lot out of it too.

But you know, as a Catholic, the problem I have is, I always have to be on my guard when I read something written by protestants. Specifically, I have to ask myself, does what the protestants are saying really agree with Holy Scripture and with the teachings of the Catholic Church? And yet I’m the one who recommended that article! :confused:

The protestants tend to state they agree with the Bible. But it ain’t necessarily so. I’m not saying here that everything written by any protestant is necessarily wrong. What they say might be right, or it might be wrong. All I’m saying is, I always feel I have to be on guard.

In the case of F. B. Meyer though, I do believe he’s right.
 
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nobody:
Wow, Esclavo, thank you for resurrecting this thread - it feels like you did it just for me. I am up late because I cannot sleep - I am in the midst of adopting our 2nd child, and pray fervently we are doing the right thing - wanting to know if this is His Will for our family and this child.
Click to expand...
No, Problem, I recommend that you check out Fr. Scanlan’s book!
 
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nobody:
Wow, Esclavo, thank you for resurrecting this thread - it feels like you did it just for me. I am up late because I cannot sleep - I am in the midst of adopting our 2nd child, and pray fervently we are doing the right thing - wanting to know if this is His Will for our family and this child.

Springbreeze - “God’s silence”: the day after a critical point in the adoption process, I was outside walking in the neighborhood, thinking, and for a short while I noticed TOTAL SILENCE. No birds, no cars, it seemed surreal. Could that have been God making it obvious for me?

Gianna, thank you for starting this thread.
Click to expand...
Dear friend

Yes God speaks in the silence and His silence speaks volumes. This isn’t something I’ve manufactured off the top of my head:D . Look at the Sacred Scripture, God was not in the violent wind, God was not in the earthquake etc, but God was in the gentle breeze (that’s one of the reasons I chose my forum name, the spring bit for my favourite season and also for ‘springtime’ in the Church). The gentle breeze is silent. Then again in Sacred Scripture during Jesus’ Agony in the Garden when He prayed several times over and over asking the Father to take away this cup if it is His will and the Father was silent. When Zechariah was struck dumb, God’s will spoke in his silence. When Jesus stood before His accusers He stood mute and remained silent before them neither defending nor commiting Himself because God’s will would be done.I am sure if a person should search they will find more examples in Sacred Scripture.

God speaks in the silence when He affirms His will.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
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