God’s will isn’t meant to be mysterious and unapproachable. In fact,
Scripture is filled with the conviction that it is possible to
understand spiritual realities. In his book What Does God Want? Fr.
Michael Scanlan proposes five basic questions to ask when facing an
important decision.
First: Does it conform to God’s law as
revealed through Scripture, tradition, and the teaching of the Church?
If it doesn’t, we can’t do it.
Second: Does it foster growth in
holiness? As we make decisions that deepen our union with God, the life
of Christ will become more evident in our lives.
Third: Is it
consistent? Many of our decisions will flow directly from previous
decisions—providing, of course, that our previous decisions have borne
good fruit! God may give us new challenges and take us in new
directions, but he tends to reveal them in a manner consistent with how
he has spoken to us in the past.
Fourth: What confirms it? After
we make a decision, God usually sends some confirmation, maybe by
opening doors that were once closed, by revealing needed resources, or
by affirming words spoken by a trusted friend. Of course, there are
times when we just have to decide on something and then examine its
fruit. Experience isn’t the best teacher; evaluated experience is!
Fifth:
What does your heart say? We should cautiously consider the difference
between the peace of the heart and the conclusion of the mind. The head
may say yes, but until the heart is convinced, we may experience
“decision gridlock.” This doesn’t mean that we will like everything God
asks us to do. But deep down, we will want to do it.
God is not playing hide-and-seek. When we seek his help in making key decisions, he will guide us.
from wau.org
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