Living The Will Of God

[BarbTherese]

Fairly good article, I thought, from Catholic Culture. I especially liked the recommendation to "Abandonement to Divine Providence" by Jean Pierre de Caussaude SJ which is a real ' bedside favourite '(frequently referred to) of mine.

[quote][u]Excerpt only from Catholic Culture Article[/u] .............:..........[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/articles.cfm?id=539"]http://www.catholicc...cles.cfm?id=539[/url]


Generally a vocational decision will heavily color an avocational decision, and sometimes a very broad avocational decision will color a more specific one. For example, in some cases a person who is a priest or religious will be assigned particular work, but there will often be an opportunity for both the person in question and the superior to discern what particular work God is calling the person to do. In a similar way, a person who joins the military may have greater or lesser control over the specific job to which he or she is assigned. Moreover, the daily work or even career of a husband or a wife will be (or should be, whenever possible) circumscribed by the demands of family life. A consecrated single person may make avocational decisions in part with a specific community in mind. An unconsecrated single person may have a wider scope for decision, but will rarely be free of external constraints (geographical location, ability, the needs of relatives or friends). [/quote]

If you do decide to purchase the book, ensure it has FR Jean Pierre's letters as well as these letters are absolutely invaluable and are specific spiritual instruction to individuals on specific topics). Sometimes the book is sold without the letters.
[quote]
Excerpt from review of "Abandonement to Divine Providence" [url="http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otc.cfm?id=879"]Abandonment to Divine Providence[/url] (Link from Catholic Culture article (above)
[u]Summary and review of book (excerpt only)[/u]
"Not only does it deserve a treasured place in each person’s library, but it is well worth revisiting at various stages of spiritual growth.
The core of Fr. de Caussade’s approach is the insight that God reveals himself through the daily events, possibilities, restrictions, cares and sufferings of ordinary life, and that we can ensure rapid spiritual growth only by fully recognizing and accepting His merciful will in every situation. This, of course, is a common theme in all authentic Catholic spiritual direction, lodged deep in the mind of the Church. Some speak in terms of “resignation”, but Fr. de Caussade goes even further with the word “abandonment”, implying a relinquishing of our own wills in favor of a joyful perception of and total reliance on the will of God. His treatment of this topic is by far the most comprehensive we have in any one place. "[/quote]

[quote][u]Excerpt from CCEL Online version[/u]:
[url="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/decaussade/abandonment.html"]http://www.ccel.org/...bandonment.html[/url] )


Description: God is in charge of everything, including the little things.
Not a hair falls from our heads without God's divine will.
We must rest in God's grace, as we are totally unable to contribute to our salvation.
What word pops into people's minds when they hear Christians making the above statements? Calvinist. Usually these beliefs are associated with those of the Calvinist persuasion. However, Father de Decaussade was a Roman Catholic Priest who taught that God is truly sovereign, and therefore our whole lives can be lived in the knowledge that all things are working for our good. We may not understand why God does things the way he does, or how our suffering can ultimately be for our good, but we can trust our benevolent Lord, who has decreed all things, is good and just. Reading [i]Abandonment to Divine Providence[/i] will help the reader surrender to God's will. The result? Spiritual peace in the arms of a loving God. [/quote]



I am reading another amazing book again by a Jesuit (contemporary) and using the Ignatian Exercises as a guide. It is very simply written- very. Subject: "The Will of God Within". And it has really spoken to me. I will post details at a later date - in a rush just now and my computeris painfully slow.

[Papist]

Yes. The more we live according to God's will, the more joyful our life will be.

[BarbTherese]

Amen! The more one lives according to the Will of God, the more at Peace and Joyful for sure . What many can find difficult, and probably most all of us at some time or other, is discerning the Will of God and perhaps especially in their ordinary day to day and how to discern His Will. This is what Jean Pierre de Caussade's "Abandonment to Divine Providence" helps one to assess and in the richest terms. Also the book I am now reading by Fr. Mark E. Thibodeaux SJ "God's Voice Within" is a contemporary work and one I am finding truly enlightening. I have never had an attraction to the Spiritual Exercices of St. Ignatius - but with reading Fr Mark's book and having a Jesuit spiritual centre not far from me, will be looking into it.
"God's Voice Within" is available on Amazon here: [url="http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Voice-Within-Ignatian-Discover/dp/0829428615"]http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Voice-Within-Ignatian-Discover/dp/0829428615[/url]
Also available Google Books