spiritual direction

Spiritual discernment through prayer and community

When we are attempting to discern God’s will in our lives, he sometimes reveals himself to us clearly, in undeniable ways. He shows us in prayer, in a dream, or through community who he would have us be. Our path is well lit before us if only we are willing, and we are left simply to do the work of submitting to his will and following through on our decision. 

Other times, we are left to walk through darkness with only the flickering light of faith to light our way. We feel our way around, bump into unseen walls, and fumble our way forward. Even in these times of darkness, however, God gives us clues along the way, if only we have the eyes to see and ears to hear. Through these divine breadcrumbs, he reminds us that we are not alone on this journey and that he has always been there to guide us since before we were even paying attention. 

It can often be difficult to discern between divine inspiration and self-delusion. This is why prayer and spiritual community are so important. Through prayer, especially extended periods of silent prayer coupled with the reading of scripture and other spiritual literature, we place ourselves in a posture from which we can listen for God’s quiet voice. Spiritual community, such as a pastor, spiritual director, or a trusted friend who knows us and the journey we are on, then helps us in discernment by helping us to test and sift through what we receive in prayer. 

Without prayer, we are left trying to do God’s will with only self and the world to guide us. Without spiritual community, we are the sole interpreters of God’s voice in our lives and, while no one else can truly know what he is speaking to us in our hearts, God also speaks through the people he has placed in our lives. God did not make us to be alone. 

I have recently been trying to discern God’s will for me in my career and education. While God has not appeared to me in a burning bush, atop a mountain, or through an angel descending from the heavens, he has been there. Through a long, challenging process of deep prayer, many conversations with my spiritual community, and following the breadcrumbs placed before me, I believe that I know what he would have me do next in my life, at least for now (I’ll write about it in a different post). As my wife says to our daughter, “Subject to change.” 

Robert Van Valkenburgh
Grappling With Divinity

To read my poetry and shorter writing, please visit Meditations of a Gentle Warrior and subscribe to receive my daily meditations in your inbox. 

Divine mic drop

“‘You are God’s Beloved!’ I hope that you can hear these words as spoken to you with all the tenderness and force that love can hold. My only desire is to make these words reverberate in every corner of your being ‘You are the Beloved…’ The voice that speaks from above and from within whispers softly or declares loudly: ‘You are my Beloved son or daughter, on you my favor rests.’”
-Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith (2006, p 29)

As I read this during my morning prayers, I found myself thinking about people that I love and praying for them. I sat there in silence wishing that my daughter could hear and know these words as true, that she is God’s beloved. I thought about my wife and wished, in the depth of her being, she could feel these words, that she is God’s beloved daughter and on her his favor rests. Then a friend came to mind and I wished the same for her. This continued as different people for whom I have a special place in my heart popped into my head. 

Right then, mid-thought, a voice cut through all of the prayers, thoughts, and images that were previously running through my mind. This voice said, “You wish this for everyone else, but why can’t you hear it yourself?” Taken aback, I sat there for what felt like an eternity, but was most likely only a few minutes, meditating on this question that went straight to my heart. 

“Am I actually God’s beloved?” I asked myself. “Is that really true? Am I really worthy of his love like that? Why don’t I know it? Why can’t I feel it? What is it in me that is keeping me from accepting this powerful truth that I so freely wish for others? Why do I exclude myself from this miraculous gift? What is it you are holding onto that you believe is preventing you from being worthy of his love and forgiveness?”

In this brief moment of thought and prayer, my life flashed before my mind’s eye and I was shown a deep truth that I had been previously unwilling to see. It’s not that God didn’t love me, but that I was unable or unwilling to accept his love. In wanting others to experience the abundance of God’s grace and mercy, he was able to show me that I was holding myself back from also experiencing it. They are God’s beloved children, but I am also. 

Now what exactly does this mean and how will my life and perspective change after having this realization gently and lovingly forced upon me? I have no idea, but I do know that I am willing to allow God to show me. I am willing to let him love me. I am willing to be loved, to be his beloved. 

Robert Van Valkenburgh
Grappling With Divinity

To read my poetry and shorter writing, please visit Meditations of a Gentle Warrior and subscribe to receive my daily meditations in your inbox.