(Taken from Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life by Johnnette Benkovic)

On yesterday’s Women of Grace Live radio program, I shared a teaching on discerning God’s will, much of which came from by book Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life.  Here are the Seven Steps to Discerning God’s will, in case you missed the program or didn’t get a chance to jot them down.  You can also listen to the program in it’s entirety at the podcast link here. God bless you!

1. Is the prompting fully in line with Sacred Scripture, the Ten Commandments, and the teachings of the Church? There is no contradiction in God.

2. Is the prompting proceeding from virtue or the flesh? “What is my motivation?”

3. Has this prompting been confirmed in other ways? God confirms His will for us in a variety of ways.

How Does God Speak To Us?

A. Through other people

1. Directly – someone speaks the prompting to us

2. Indirectly

a. a homily at Mass

b. radio

c. television

d. something we read

B. Scripture

C. Events of the day

4. Has the prompting withstood the test of time? There is a difference between enthusiasm and zeal.

5. Am I going through an emotionally difficult time or am I suffering from mental instability?

6. Have I sought the counsel of others — my spouse, provincial, superior, bishop, spiritual director?

7. Is the prompting or inspiration of grace in conformity with my state in life? There may be sacrifice, but there will not be conflict.