How seriously to take a "sign"? (Or is this bibliomancy?)

[PrayingDuck]

So about a year or two ago, I was having great distress about whether I was called to marriage or religious life (still haven’t come to any conclusion). It was upsetting me to the point of tears and probably panic, as I have OCD. I remember sitting alone in Adoration and just being desperate for an answer, so I prayed that God would speak to me through randomly opening the Bible. I didn’t have my Bible with me at the time, so I was using the apps on my phone as prayer aids. I went to a random Bible verse generator, and the first thing that came up was 1 Corinthians 7. I don’t remember which verse specifically, but I definitely remember freaking out and being worried that this meant God wanted me to be a nun. As I’ve been thinking about discernment more recently, is this something that I should take seriously? Would that even mean God wants me to be a sister? Or was this a practice I should not have been doing in the first place? I know St. Augustine and St. Francis received messages from God through random opening of the Bible, but I have also heard that this is a wrong practice.

 

[Bezant]

So about a year or two ago, I was having great distress about whether I was called to marriage or religious life (still haven’t come to any conclusion).

You may not be meant for either – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It was upsetting me to the point of tears and probably panic, as I have OCD. I remember sitting alone in Adoration and just being desperate for an answer, so I prayed that God would speak to me through randomly opening the Bible.

I didn’t have my Bible with me at the time, so I was using the apps on my phone as prayer aids. I went to a random Bible verse generator, and the first thing that came up was 1 Corinthians 7. I don’t remember which verse specifically, but I definitely remember freaking out and being worried that this meant God wanted me to be a nun. As I’ve been thinking about discernment more recently, is this something that I should take seriously?

Would that even mean God wants me to be a sister? Or was this a practice I should not have been doing in the first place? I know St. Augustine and St. Francis received messages from God through random opening of the Bible, but I have also heard that this is a wrong practice.

You cannot rely on this practice to make decisions. There is no way anyone can tell if the verse appeared coincidentally or as a sign of divine will. It is no different than rolling a pair of dice.

Instead, you should trust your judgement and ask for God to guide you, rather than expect him to provide the answer.

If you have not already done so, you should discuss your intentions and OCD with your priest.

 

[po18guy]

You can seriously use spiritual direction. Contact with someone who works with vocations would be very helpful in your case. Think about contacting your parish of archdiocese and inquiring of the vocations director. Your uncertainty is feeding your OCD, and this is not healthy for your spiritual life.

That being said, the Holy Spirit can communicate with you via any imaginable means, and some that we cannot imagine. Vocations take time and spiritual pain to discern. It can be an agonizing process, and a choice made casually is an affront to God. As the old man said, “Choose wisely.”

 

[PeaceInChrist]

Go to spiritual direction with a good priest. Discernment of a Vocation is not something that should cause distress, but should rather strengthen your relationship and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t worry, all will be well. Know that He wants what is best for you, and ask Him to speak in a manner you can understand. Don’t be anxious, He will answer you in His time.

I would also say not to rely solely on ‘signs’, but prayer and the Sacraments, and a good spiritual director. If you ask Him to order you according to His will, and to lead you, He will do so.