Human Development
Discipline of guidance
Description:
The teaching of Christ suggests that divine guidance is most likely to be received when a group of people fasts, prays and worships together. The individual may be guided to speak in guidance to such a group which then, under divine guidance, comes to an agreement. Examples of such guidance are cited in the Acts of the Apostles, in the lives of the saints, and in the Church today, when an individual decision (on a call to the ministry, on the advisability of a marriage) may be prayerfully deliberated and advice given. A specific example of calling on divine guidance is dependence on the advice of a [spiritual director], as is currently practised within the Catholic monastic system.François Fénelon warns against trusting too literally to dreams, visions and revelations. These may as easily be due to a disordered state of the physical system as to divine guidance and do not constitute holiness. Above all, these visions and remarkable states, which may be from imperfect experience, should not be taken as a guide for life separate from and above God's written law. The soul's guide should be faith in God, His Word and His Providence, the divine Word being interpreted by the holy heart. Giving one's self wholly to God allows the Holy Spirit to dwell in the heart and He guides into all the truth that will be necessary. Thus a truly holy soul, who continually looks to God for understanding of His word, may trust in the confidence that He will guide him aright. Such a holy soul may deduce views from the Word of God but cannot add anything to it. There is only one legitimate Originator in the whole universe, the business of man is to concur.
Broader:
Spiritual discipline Related:
GuruSpiritual directionSoul care