Is God Calling me?
Is God Calling me? > Steps for Discernment
Steps for Discernment
If you not sure who God is calling you to be and what He is calling you to do then make sure you've walked the following steps for discernment
1. Get on your Knees
Prayer is the first step of discernment. Click here to learn more about prayer!
2. Order your life towards God
As you seek the Lord and grow in relationship with Him through prayer, ask Him how He wants you to live in accordance with His will.
- Attend Mass every Sunday, and daily if possible. Receive Holy Communion frequently.
- Seek to be more like Christ. Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently.
_ Click here for a Guide to the this sacrament.
- Make a commitment to grow closer to God every day. Make a daily examination of conscience.
- Commit to a daily life of prayer
- Live the Beatitudes
- Witness to Christ in your everyday life by living a life of charity, of sacrifice, of total commitment to Him, and by sharing your faith with others
- Be active - serve in your local parish as God is calling you.
Through prayer, seek a life centered on Christ, totally abandoned to Him. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matt 16:24-25)
3. Decide on a spiritual director
Spiritual Direction is assistance given to persons in discernment, in growing in holiness and in the practice of Christian virtue.
4. Study Vocations
A great way to discern is to learn more about prayer and different vocations.
Recommended Reading:
- Intro to the Devout Life, St. Francis DeSales
- Fire Within, Fr. Thomas Dubay
- Witness to Hope, George Weigel
- The Story of a Soul, St. Therese
- Confessions, St. Augustine
- The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis
- "...And You are Christ's," Fr. Thomas Dubay
- Peter on the Shore,
- Vita Consecrata - Click here for an online version!
- Pastores Dabo Vobis - Click here for an online version!
- Message of Pope John Paul II for the 1st World Day of Consecrated Life - Click here for an online version!
- Homily of Pope John Paul II for World Day of Consecrated Life, 2004 - Click here for an online version!
- Message for World Day of Vocations - Click here for an online version!
5. Call the vocations office
There are few things more helpful than talking to a priest, especially the vocation director about what is going on in your heart. Just contacting someone doesn't mean you've signed your life away... it is a great way to discern deeper! Contact us today!
6. Act
Don't get stuck in the "discernment trap" - go visit a seminary, join a religious order.... check out our events page and see what we are doing next!
7. Live healthy relationships
To live a healthy and holy relationship, we need to live the virtue of chastity. The chaste person maintains the integrity of the powers of life and live placed in Him.
Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of the person in body and spirit. Chastity allows us to control our passions, to make choices that are truly free, and to seek what is good for ourselves and for others.
The virtue of chastity blossoms in friendship by showing us how to follow Christ and how to imitate Him who has given himself totally to us and who allows us to share in His divine life.
Chastity is the freedom to follow God's call and a promise of immortality. (adapted CCC 2337-2347)
8. Listen to the Lord
As you discern God’s call, continue to turn to Him in prayer. Make a commitment to daily prayer and speak to Him from the heart. Ask Him to help you to be open to whatever He might ask. Be willing to investigate the possibilities as you continue to follow these steps throughout your discernment. Abandon yourself totally to Him, and He will guide you. In the words of Mary, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5).
