Topic:  How do I pray for discernment?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: March 16, 2004

Moderator who originally posted this source: Kathy Martyn

Question:   How do I pray for discernment?

Answer: 

1.  Give yourself a "set time" each day to devote to this prayer.  Maybe 5 or 10 minutes at a particular (generally the same) time of day when you won't be doing other stuff; having a set place in which to do the prayer is also a good thing:  kind of a Pavlovian Prayer, I call it: "When I'm here at this time, I salivate -- no, I mean, pray!"

2.  Breathe deeply and let the breath be God's Presence filling your body consciously from head to toe. 

3.  Say specifically a prayer like, "Lord, give me the freedom to follow your will and not be caught up in mine, and give me the wisdom to know your will."  Repeat that prayer as something like a mantra several times as you breathe. 

4.  Then name one of your job or other options.  Just work with one option per day or maybe per week.  Envision yourself in that job; living in that place; working with those people; attending to those demands. 

5.  Be very attentive to how you feel when you do that envisioning.  Does that 'vision' give you a sense of peace?  Do you have a feeling of fulfillment in that 'vision'?  Is your heart at ease when you imagine yourself in that situation?  Does your mind think logically and comfortably in that context?

6.  Say thanks to God for those 5 or 10 minutes of prayer.

7.  You might want to jot down very briefly in a journal or whatever the particular job you envisioned on that day and how you "felt" in that envisioning.  Look over that journal after, say, a month and see what the trajectory of your prayer has been.  In that trajectory I suspect you will see the outlines of God's call and direction for you.

God wants you to do what will bring you wholeness, and you are trying to hear that Divine call -- that's a pretty DARNED good team!

Your decision will be a good one!