Spiritual direction is a form of ancient Christian soul care that sees the necessity and gift of one person journeying with another through many seasons of faith and spiritual growth.
Seasons of faith include the excitement of joining the Christian faith and a body of believers; the continued exploration of spiritual gifts and disciplines toward growth; and the dry times when we feel the weight of life’s grief and questions.
Spiritual direction is a place to be “attended to” as the Holy Spirit is invited into the presence of director and directee as the primary Director. It is a form of listening that involves the director’s attention to emotions, prayer life, and a directee’s experiences of God and others. Primarily, spiritual direction seeks to deepen intimacy with God.
People in any season of life may benefit from seeing a spiritual director. Though it is not counseling, expression of emotions and life events are certainly welcome, as they are tied to our spiritual lives. Reflection on these emotions and events will be through the grid of how God is present and might be calling you to “more” in the Christian life. Together, the director and directee can discern how God might be speaking God’s love and truth into everyday life.
Spiritual direction can be especially helpful during transitional times of life and faith as individuals seek greater discernment around life and work matters, identity, and developing healthy habits of spiritual disciplines.
The fee range for most directors is: $50-75, with provision for financial need.
Questions to Consider as you prepare for meeting with a spiritual director:
- Where have you been most aware of the Lord’s presence in your immediate experience? Was it through nature, reading Scripture, singing with other believers, reading a book?
- How do you experience God? Loving, attentive, gentle, harsh, indifferent, angry?
- Do you experience your life as having an adequate balance of work, rest, play; activity and reflection?
- Are there certain ways you hope Jesus will meet you in your life? Restore you? Or relationships?
- In what ways has God felt present in your life circumstances? How have you felt his absence?
- What is the general “tone” of your life lately?
- Are you currently seeking God’s will for a decision?
- How do you sense God asking you to grow?
- What kind of feedback would you like from your spiritual director?
- Is there anything else you would like to talk about?