Why should it be so difficult to figure out your vocation?

[Hallelujahhh]

In your opinion, why is it so hard for people to figure out their vocation? Why does it have to take so long?

 

[Cloisters]

In your opinion, why is it so hard for people to figure out their vocation? Why does it have to take so long?

Each “stage” that God takes us to is part of the journey to Him. He loves each of us “madly,” and each “plateau” we reach in trying to figure out what He wants us to do is another chance to deepen our intimacy with Him.

Concentrate more on deepening the relationship with God, rather than what you’re feeling called to, and ask for your intentions to be purified. My holy founder, St. Paul of the Cross, always used the visual of the baby at the mother’s breast. He said to drink in the will of God the same way the baby–in a very relaxed manner–drank in its mother’s milk.

Not a direct answer to your question, but what I was inspired to write.

Here is a women’s discernment group:

groups.yahoo.com/group/womenindiscernment/

Blessings,
Cloisters
Lay Passionist

 

[Cara_Serrano]

It seems to me that vocational discernment is difficult for a number of reasons:

1. God is calling clearly but we can’t hear Him because we’re too “busy” playing video games, watching TV, attaching a phone to our ear, etc. to hear Him. Discernment requires silence and attention.
2. In moments of true discernment, we hear what God really wants from us and it scares the **** out of us, so we run and find something else to do. (job, school, relationships, bad habits.) Many late vocations will tell you they spent considerable energy running away from the call.
3. Loss of self-determination. Discernment means giving up some of the old ways of keeping busy and remaining completely open to a new agenda that we do not control. (This applies to married life as well as religious life.)

4.Fear of hardships. Doing what God wants is hard work. Not everyone is up to the task when they find out Calvary is all uphill.

The truth is that you can serve serve God as a lay person or a religious. The success of your vocation depends not so much on which path you choose but on how faithful you are to it. Pray hard, then pick a lane and drive!