It is a very common question.
How do you know?
How do you know God's Will?
Am I called to religious life or to marriage?
How do you know which community?
There may be various answers to the question. The most frustrating one is "you'll just know".
When making a serious decision we want certainty. We do not want to move forward with doubt. "What ifs" fill our mind. Perhaps there is fear. Yet, Jesus calls us to live in faith. We will not know 100% for sure that this is His will. We will "know" when we experience peace. In His Will there is peace. However, it does not mean we will not have fear or questions. A temptation is to let fear of making the right decision paralyze us from actually making a step. Jesus asks us to trust Him. "Be not afraid," He tells us! When we encounter Love Himself, then we will know His voice and hear His invitation. Then respond. Jesus waits. What are you waiting for? Certainty?! Then you will be waiting forever!
I remember sitting in the chapel during the time of meditation when I was visiting the Sisters. I could not think of anymore questions to ask about the community. There were no exterior obstacles anymore like my age or a job. The path was open. Was I scared of the unknown? You bet! Yet, the tug was too strong to ignore. I did not want to ignore it. I wanted to give everything. It happened very simply. I said yes, in faith. Peace followed the surrender. I trusted Jesus and said yes, even without 100% certainty. I could not wait anymore.
I invite you to surrender and trust Jesus in whatever decision you are in the midst of right now. Let Him speak and bring you peace.
Pope Francis encourages us with his words:
How do you know?
How do you know God's Will?
Am I called to religious life or to marriage?
How do you know which community?
There may be various answers to the question. The most frustrating one is "you'll just know".
When making a serious decision we want certainty. We do not want to move forward with doubt. "What ifs" fill our mind. Perhaps there is fear. Yet, Jesus calls us to live in faith. We will not know 100% for sure that this is His will. We will "know" when we experience peace. In His Will there is peace. However, it does not mean we will not have fear or questions. A temptation is to let fear of making the right decision paralyze us from actually making a step. Jesus asks us to trust Him. "Be not afraid," He tells us! When we encounter Love Himself, then we will know His voice and hear His invitation. Then respond. Jesus waits. What are you waiting for? Certainty?! Then you will be waiting forever!I remember sitting in the chapel during the time of meditation when I was visiting the Sisters. I could not think of anymore questions to ask about the community. There were no exterior obstacles anymore like my age or a job. The path was open. Was I scared of the unknown? You bet! Yet, the tug was too strong to ignore. I did not want to ignore it. I wanted to give everything. It happened very simply. I said yes, in faith. Peace followed the surrender. I trusted Jesus and said yes, even without 100% certainty. I could not wait anymore.
I invite you to surrender and trust Jesus in whatever decision you are in the midst of right now. Let Him speak and bring you peace.
Pope Francis encourages us with his words:
"Yes, in this quest to
seek and find God in all things there is still an area of uncertainty. There
must be. If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not
touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good. For me, this is an
important key. If one has the answers to all the questions—that is the proof
that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion
for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always
left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties;
we must be humble. Uncertainty is in every true discernment that is open to
finding confirmation in spiritual consolation...Our life is not given to us
like an opera libretto, in which all is written down; but it means going,
walking, doing, searching, seeing.... We must enter into the adventure of the
quest for meeting God; we must let God search and encounter us."
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