During Lent, we choose to make intentional sacrificial commitments. This is a good practice, but it can give us the impression that faith commitments are confined to Lent and limited to personal sacrifice. What about making joyful, life-giving commitments during Easter?
There’s no shortage of ways to go about this—acts of charity, deeper engagement in community, more intentional conversations. I’d like to suggest one in particular: consider trying out spiritual direction.
What is Spiritual Direction?
Simply put, spiritual direction is a conversation about your relationship with God. It takes place with a trained spiritual director, someone formed in listening, prayer, and discernment. It is not therapy, but rather a space focused on noticing God’s presence and invitations in your life. At its heart, it’s all about paying attention.
A Short Story
In one of my early experiences of spiritual direction, I shared my eagerness to help others. I was a young man, new to receiving spiritual direction, and had recently found an opportunity to help out a former professor. A few years earlier, I had taken his philosophy course, and we stayed in touch after the course ended. Later, when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and could no longer drive reliably, I volunteered to take him to the grocery store.
I felt proud of myself for choosing to help. I was also grateful to have a concrete way to say thank you to someone who had been so influential in my life. During a spiritual direction session, I mentioned this to my director, and he asked me how God felt about my good deed. I had never considered that question. It caught me off guard.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Is God happy with you? Or does God have other feelings?”
It was difficult for me to imagine God’s feelings, but I could imagine Jesus sharing in my happiness. My director pressed a bit further: “What do you think Jesus’ happiness is about?”
Without much thought, I responded: “Jesus is happy that we’re caring for one another.”
That moment changed how I saw my “good deeds.” I began to see them as less about what I had done and more about how God was present in my relationships.
Not every direction session brings a major insight like this. They can often feel more like general prayer check-ins, but the Holy Spirit is just as present in those meetings. More often, spiritual direction quietly grounds me in God’s presence—and in gratitude for someone who listens with care. Whether or not there is a clear insight, spiritual direction becomes a space for attentive listening to God’s presence alongside a companion in faith.
Why Do People Seek Out Spiritual Direction?
In my experience—both in my own prayer and in accompanying others—there are many reasons people begin to seek God more intentionally in their daily lives. Here are a few common ones:
- A sense of longing
- A desire to live in a new way
- Frustration with distractions or temptations
- Curiosity about one’s faith tradition
- A desire to explore spirituality more deeply
How Do I Find a Spiritual Director?
If you’re interested in speaking with a spiritual director, here are a few places to start:
- Office of Ignatian Spirituality Catalog
- Spiritual Directors International
- You can also email Lauren Schwer (lschwer@luc.edu) at the Institute of Pastoral Studies and mention this article
Three Things to Keep in Mind
First, you don’t need to have your prayer life “figured out” to begin.
Second, spiritual directors come from many vocations. Priests, deacons, religious, and lay women and men all serve as directors. Many laypeople, after receiving spiritual direction themselves, feel called to this ministry. I have been blessed to be accompanied by several gifted lay directors.
Third, spiritual direction is not about fixing problems, but about learning to notice and respond to God’s presence and invitations in your life.
Prayer for the Journey Ahead
If something in this article resonates with you, pay attention to that. Consider taking a simple next step this Easter. You might bring that desire to prayer, or speak with a trusted friend or minister about it.
Growing in relationship with God is like walking a path. A spiritual director is a companion who walks with you, helping you to notice God’s presence and invitations along the way.
If you are considering this step, you might bring that desire to prayer with this blessing for travelers:
All-powerful and ever-living God,
when Abraham left his own land and departed from his own people,
you kept him safe all through his journey.
Protect us, who also are your servants:
walk by our side to help us;
be our companion and our strength on the road
and our refuge in every adversity.
Lead us, O Lord,
so that we will reach our destination in safety
and happily return to our homes.
Amen.
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Image: Landmannalaugar Route, Iceland. Photo by Bill Badzo, Public Domain.