In my own apprenticeship of the way of Jesus, I have often found it difficult to know what I was supposed to do or where I was supposed to go.

“God, are you calling me to this or this?” Isn’t this so much of the Christian life?

Unfortunately, the modern American church leaves little curiosity to the Spirit’s machinations and workings in us. Instead, we often settle for mere information gathering and rule following. When we attend only to these things, we live a self-directed life and that self-direction usually leads us to self-righteousness in as much as we believe we’re getting all the right things done, or self-hatred in as much as we (inevitably) get all the wrong things done.

What if Jesus wanted to more for us? What if we took him at His promise: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” As he leaves his disciples, Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will come and be discernible to us. We will be able to hear him, to be taught by him, and to follow him to newness of life.

This is the gift and opportunity of Spiritual Direction. Let’s engage together in solitude, in silence, in prayerful meditation, and discern the Spirit’s guidance in your practice of the Way. His way leads to life, and life abundantly!