Are you following God’s will?
In this episode of The Catholic Gentleman, John Heinen joins the author of “Finding Peace in the Storm” Dan Burke to discuss how we can more clearly know God's will in our lives.
Below are three questions you can ask yourself to be sure!
1. Are you confusing your desires with divine guidance?
True discernment requires asking ourselves if we are serving God or serving ourselves.
"We can make gods out of our own spirituality and create a whole pseudo-Catholicism that we live in," Burke explains.
He says it's important to check our intentions regularly and seek spiritual direction to make sure our actions align with God’s will, not just our desires.
2. Is your peace disturbed by unexpected events?
Life is full of surprises, and not all of them will be pleasant. Aligning our will with God's means trusting that every circumstance, no matter how difficult, is allowed for our good.
"When you are not in peace, you are not with God."
Burke says when we surrender our fears and complaints, we open ourselves up to God's greater plan and the peace that accompanies it.
3. Are you engaging in mental prayer?
Mental prayer is where we come to know Christ personally and hear His voice.
Burke quotes Saint Teresa of Ávila:
"Mental prayer is nothing more than an intimate conversation with a friend."
Without it, he says we risk going through the motions of faith without truly connecting with the God who loves us.
The gentlemen say that even in the uncertainty of our decisions, God's will can be known, and aligning our lives with it is the ultimate victory!