Are you trying to discern your vocation and don't know where to start?
The Capuchin Franciscans shared five common mistakes that can hinder discernment and distance you from God's voice.
On their Instagram account, the Capuchin Franciscans of the Western United States Province shared some reflections for all those seeking to know God's call in their lives.
If you're experiencing a period of doubt about your vocational path, it's worth paying attention to these common mistakes and asking for the grace to avoid them:
1) Expecting to feel drawn right away.
God's call doesn't always come with an instant attraction. It often disrupts your comfort zone, challenges your ideas, and exposes your attachments.
2) Believing that you must be “ready” before responding.
Perhaps you're waiting to feel perfect before taking a step. But discernment begins with faithfulness, not perfection. God's fatherly love is faithful and patient. He invites us to respond with trust.
3) Trying to discern without a life of prayer.
Without silence, sacraments, and Scripture, discernment has no basis. Prayer is not a fundamental task; it is where vocation is revealed. The living and true God tirelessly calls each person to this mysterious encounter.
4) Asking superficial questions.
Talk to people living their vocation, but don't just ask them when they "knew." Ask what sustained them through their doubts. Ask what they didn't expect. Ask what made them stay.
5) Thinking that not being worthy means you are not called.
God doesn't wait for you to feel holy or worthy. He calls you just as you are and shapes you along the way. Divine initiative in the work of grace precedes, prepares, and inspires humankind's free response.
Discerning a vocation is a demanding but profoundly beautiful journey. Avoiding these mistakes doesn't guarantee immediate answers, but it does open the heart to God's path.
“Freedom does not consist in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” – Saint John Paul II