Are you ever overcome with a feeling of overwhelm that washes over you when you are faced with a huge decision? Sometimes, the decision is between two good things, and yet it feels imperative that you get this right. That you figure things out perfectly. That you deploy all the right discernment strategies, weigh the pros and cons ad nauseam, and consult all the wise people in your life before even attempting to commit to one way over the other.
I am tempted to fall into those feelings often. I feel like it's my job and my job alone to figure out the best way to go about things. As if God's will must be deciphered in a proper order and all other options will lead to doom! (I can get very dramatic about it!)
But today's readings reminds me that this way of thinking may be indicative of a lack of faith and trust on my part. Do I not believe that I have received the Holy Spirit? Do I not believe that seeking the Holy Spirit in prayer while making decisions allows His will into my life? Just as Saint Paul is saying today, with the Holy Spirit we have the mind of Christ as baptized members of the Church and daughters of God. (1 Corinthians 2:16) What an amazing gift!
Now this doesn't mean that we should make decisions without proper prudence and attention, nor does it mean we should over-spiritualize our decisions, but it does mean that if we are seeking out the Holy Spirit in our lives and inviting Him into our decision making, then we should live not out of fear, but out of trust and freedom. If we are living our lives with the intention of following God's will, then we need to also trust in Him, that He will be there no matter which path we choose.
Our God is powerful, authoritative, and just in all His ways. He will guide us with His love.
Where do I seek control and fear trusting in God in my life? What decisions are holding me prisoner to anxiety and tension instead of allowing me to live in freedom and grace? Holy Spirit come into my life and show me your way and give me the grace to live in your freedom.
Christy Isinger is a wife and mom to five lovely, loud children and lives in northern Canada. When not homeschooling, she is a devoted reader of English literature from Jane Austen to Agatha Christie. She writes about the beauty of faith, life, and the home at her blog and is the co-host of the Fountains of Carrots Podcast. You can find out more about her here. She is the author of our Blessed Conversations: The Ten Commandments study found here.
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