Begin the new year nurturing a discerning heart: tools to help your discernment

Discernment 
Generally, when people use the word discernment, they are referring to discerning your state in life (consecrated life, priesthood, marriage, or single life). This is one of the most important questions you will discern in your life, but it’s not the only time solid discernment will be necessary.  

In Baptism, everyone receives the vocation, the call, to holiness, but we are not all called to be holy in the same way. God’s call to you is utterly personal. Discernment helps you to understand the vocation God has placed in your heart.   

Here are four simple tools that are essential to discerning well. You will need all of them when you are discerning major questions like your state in life or career choices. These tools are also helpful as you discern other choices in life as well. Discernment is not a one-time sort of thing. Decisions big and small should be discerned, as they all relate to your growing in holiness.  

Prayer 
All vocations have God as their starting point. If you desire clarity regarding your vocation, you need to practice regular mental prayer or meditation. Sit in the quiet with the Lord. If you’ve never spent time with Scripture, then Lectio Divina would be a great place to start. The Ignatian practice of imagining yourself in a scene from Scripture is another great way to enter into meditation or mental prayer.  

Self-knowledge 
Vocations are personal. Your vocation is yours. God created you with your vocation in mind. So, a thorough and honest knowledge of self is essential. What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you love? The goal here isn’t to see how you compare to an imaginary checklist, but to help you understand that who you are is a part of God’s call. This is the very personal aspect of your vocation. 

Counsel 
People who know you well can be helpful sources of information. Share with them what you are thinking and ask them what they think. Your parish priest would be another great resource for you. Eventually, you will want to find a spiritual director. A spiritual director sits with you and listens to your story. Their mission is to help you learn how to listen for God’s voice in your heart.  

Action (and Confirmation) 
At some point, your discernment will move from a conversation between you and God to include more people. This requires you to take concrete steps. First, the focus will be about getting more information. That will lead to inquiries, conversations, and community visits. As you bring these experiences back to prayer, you will discover places where you just would not fit, and that’s okay. The goal is to find the place God has prepared for you.

Fr. Angelo Anthony, C.PP.S. 
Director of Vocations 
vocation@preciousbloodus.org