Today begins a short series on Spiritual Direction. Some of you may be wondering what that is, exactly? Others may have been involved with this ministry for some time. I know that when I speak about it with people, many don’t understand at all what it is, while others are at some level at least aquainted with it.
All of us live lives that include aspects of joy, suffering, daily challenges, and interactions with other people. All of us have experienced God in different ways and over time can acknowledge God’s daily encounter and even pursuit in our lives. Spiritual Direction, is a gift to us that can help us to navigate through the circumstances and situations of our lives by drawing our attention to God’s work and presence. Henri Nouwen, Writes, Spiritual direction is the simple gift of offering to another the gentle but tenacious encouragement to open fully to God’s loving presence and to discern the action of the Spirit in every aspect of life.
So Spiritual Direction is one person coming alongside another on their journey with God, to help them notice these encounters. It is not counseling, it is specifically concerned with helping a person with his or her relationship to God. It may be to help them find and respond to God in the midst of pain and disorder, but generally it is about helping others notice God in their every day. It gives people a place to talk out loud and confidentially about what they are thinking about or going through on their walk towards God.
Picture: Enlightened holy cross by Ben
Quote: Henri Nouwen, Spiritual Direction: Wisdom fo the Long Walk of Faith
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