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Most men who have ever wondered if the vocation to the Permanent Diaconate was for them must have asked the question, “How will I know?” It comes in many forms. “What is God’s will in my life?” “How do I find happiness and fulfillment in my life?” “What is the ultimate purpose of my existence?” “How will I know that God is calling me to become a Permanent Deacon?”
An inherent part of life is the responsibility to make difficult, challenging, and sometimes even painful decisions. To make important decisions often requires time, prayer, and discernment. Perhaps today more than ever, we face a greater multiplicity and complexity of decisions in ordinary day-to-day living. In the discernment process, we consider the options, balance the advantages with disadvantages, and carefully examine the consequences. “How will I know . . . what is good, right, or best? How will I know what God is calling me to?”
Before the rainbow shown in the sky, perhaps Noah wondered, “How will I know?” Before John the Baptist sent his disciples from his prison cell to find Jesus he must have asked, “How will I know?” When Thomas heard from the disciples that Jesus rose from the dead, he must have struggled with the question, “How will I know?”
Today, as in Jesus own time, God continues to give signs to help us to decide, to discern and to know what the Lord is asking us. In particular, there are four general signs which are often seen:
In a more specific way, there is a rather practical spiritual discernment process which can be a tool or guide to help us determine what God is calling me to. This discernment process combines reflection, prayer, dialogue, and Scripture.
One way to prepare for discernment is to make a timeline of your life story, from your birth to the present day. Reflect upon the following:
Adapted with permission from “Discernment Tools” by the Priests of the Sacred Heart.