First and foremost, let me give you an example of what Spiritual Direction is not.
One day, years ago, when I was attending another Church, I was busy in the sacristy. I heard someone crying. The two doors leading to the hall and to the altar area, were opened against each other. Being adjacent to each other, and with their edges together like this, they formed a small, closed, and dark triangular space in the corner of the sacristy. This was where the crying was coming from. I moved one door aside, and then I saw her.
She was about 28, tall, beautiful, and with long dark hair. She was wearing a camel coloured suede suit. I had never seen her before. She immediately tried to compose herself, sniffling into her Kleenex, and apologising for being there. I told her it was okay, and asked her what was wrong. It was a sad story. I'm going to call her Mindy.
Mindy told me that she was a prostitute, and that she was a single mother with a 10 year old son. He didn't know how she earned her living, and now that he was getting older, she was afraid that he would soon find out. I offered to pray with her, but I guess she wasn't ready for that. I then encouraged her to give me her phone number, and I gave her mine.
I called her a few times over the next few weeks. We talked about many things, and among them, sin and God's forgiveness, welfare and government programs. During this time, she was honest with me. She confided that she was trying to stop using cocaine as well. She said that all this was hard to give up, because she liked having nice clothes, and because she made a lot of money doing what she did. But the conversation always went back to her son, and how much she loved him, and wanted the best for him.
I did some research, and I got the name of a woman from a Christian organisation that worked with prostitutes in downtown Montreal, providing clothes for them, and food, and clean needles, and, when the Lord opened the way, help to leave this life, and Christian direction. She was from Australia and doing Christian missionary work here in Montreal. When I spoke to her about Mindy, she said that she felt that she knew who I was talking about, and that she would look out for her, and begin working with her.
Meanwhile, someone at my Church began to discourage me from communicating with Mindy. This person said things to me, that both confused and frightened me. She told me that people in the congregation might get the wrong idea about me, if they knew I was associating with this young woman, and might even think that I was involved in some way with being a prostitute. She used the word "dangerous" a few times, insinuating that I could bring harm to myself from men in the congregation. In retrospect, there was no mention from her, of the Lord, or His Word, or any suggestion to pray for wisdom and direction. I am sad to say that I let my fear dictate my actions. I stopped calling.
Since then, I have asked the Lord to forgive me for failing to minister to Mindy, and I have prayed that He continued this work that He began in her life, and that He used this missionary worker to reach her. I now know the pain of having failed to lead a lost person to the Lord.
In hindsight, what I received from this person was not Spiritual Direction, but the result of an envious and unregenerate heart.
It was a hard lesson to learn, but learn it I did. I now knew that my true Spiritual Director was my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and now I looked to him and to the Bible, to confirm all things in my life.
That having been said, my spiritual walk was in community with others, and so I tried to discern a little more clearly, who I could look to as an example and guide in my Christian walk. And I am happy to say that there have been a number of Christians who have inspired and guided me along the way.
The first clear and visible sign that I look for in a person, is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I understand that we are not perfect - only Christ is. I also understand that we live in a suffering and broken world, and so we cannot continually be filled with all these things. But I trust that, in general, these things should be present in the life of a believer who is Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.
Equally important to me was the Word that they spoke. Were they pointing the way to Jesus? Did they read and live Scripture? Would they be willing to correct me in a way of thinking that was not in line with God's Word? Or, did they just want to be my friend? Did they just want me to be like them and to think like them?
The final test was one I could only answer in my heart, and one that only the Lord Himself could help me with: Did this person care about my eternal life?
In my life, I have found only two people that I would entrust my eternal life to, aside from the Lord. The first is my husband. In all that I have said and done, he has never hesitated to affirm, to correct, or to redirect me. If he is uncertain, he tells me so. He doesn't gossip or judge people. He is a good example for me of 'Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No" be no'. He has brought balance and order to my life. I believe that if he were not there, I might never come out of my prayer closet. And although prayer is the essence of all that we are in communion with God, we are called to be ministers of the Gospel, and we cannot minister if we are locked away in a little room somewhere. He has shown me how to live the gospel, both in and outside of Church doors.
The other person is my dear friend, Linda. The Lord put Linda before me at a time when I began to receive discernment for my life. And she tells me that the Lord put me before her, at a time when she needed discernment for her life. We have become Spiritual Directors to each other. In all that I say and do, she continually points me to the Lord. We pray together, we search scripture together, we cry together, we laugh together. Our friendship as sisters in the Lord has been a real blessing.
My experience in providing spiritual guidance to Linda has been an awesome one, and I would like to share some of this with you.
At first it was a fairly simple Christian walk. We prayed together, studied scripture together, and ate lunch together. We encouraged each other to read different Christian authors, and we shared insights and revelations. One thing that is consistent to my Christian life that I continually share with Linda, is that I give everything into the Lord's hands.
One day, I picked up a pamphlet on a conference on the Holy Spirit that was coming to Montreal. The Pitches were going to lead it. I brought it to work, immediately thinking of Linda. But I dismissed this, because I felt that it was because she was English-speaking, and everyone else in my office was French-speaking. I told everyone else, one by one, about the conference. Finally, the day before the deadline, I told Linda. She was the only one who decided to go.
The conference began Friday evening, and on the way home, Linda told me that she felt sad and a little distressed. I was concerned, and I told her that I would pray for her. I suggested that she give these feelings to the Lord. I prayed really hard on the way home, feeling very responsible, and wondering what I had gotten her into. When I got home, I continued to pray, and the Lord gave me this Word for her: The next morning, Saturday, when we met to attend the second and last day of the conference, Linda told me that she still felt sad. I doubted, and I did not give her the Word that the Lord had given to me for her, the night before.
At one point during a break, someone asked me if I prayed in tongues. I said yes, but that most of the time when I was alone, I tended to sing in tongues. The Lord certainly paved the way for Linda with that one, because after the next teaching, Reverend Pitch prayed for the gift of tongues for everyone present, and the whole cathedral was filled with people singing in tongues. It sounded like a heavenly choir. This was the first time Linda had witnessed this.
After this, at one point in the afternoon, we were asked to come forward if we felt that we needed prayer. Linda got up immediately, and something told me to follow her. I did not feel led to ask for prayer, and I wondered why I was following her. I just knew that I should be with her. When we arrived at the front, a helper came to me, and I told her I was fine, and that I was just standing with my friend.
As they were prayed for, some people began to rest in the Spirit. I lifted Linda up to the Lord, wondering what she thought of all of this. At one point, she had her eyes closed and began to moan. I felt that she was 'looking' at something that we couldn't see, and so I asked her what she was looking at. She continued to moan, and the sounds seemed to come from the very depths of her being. It was as if the Spirit of God was crying out from within her. She told me that she was 'seeing' some tapes that someone had given her, that she used to help her to sleep at night. It was new age music, she said. I asked her what she thought the Lord wanted her to do. And she said, "To get rid of them". I asked her what she was going to do with them, and she answered, "Throw them out." We prayed a prayer of repentance together, and then Linda rested in the Spirit. I remember feeling very human while all this was happening.
On the way home, she said again that she felt sad and distressed, and I was very concerned. I told her to keep giving all these feelings to the Lord, and to put on the armour of God in Ephesians 6. I told her that sometimes when we are released, there is a battle that continues for a while. I hesitated again to give her the Word that the Lord had brought to me for her, because the Word was a promise of joy, and my friend certainly did not feel joyful. The conference was over, and so I did not see her on Sunday, because we didn't attend the same church. I continued to keep her in prayer, feeling quite anxious and responsible in all of this.
I arrived early at work on Monday, and waited anxiously, wondering how she was, and worried about what I had gotten her into. When I saw her, I was amazed. Her face was absolutely glowing, and she said that she felt truly blessed. It was then that I had the courage to give her what I had received for her on Friday night. The Word from the Lord had come to pass.
As we walk with each other, the one thing that we must always remember is to point the way to the Lord and to His Word. This experience with Linda showed me that I am fully human, and that I can do nothing on my own. I need to depend on the Lord and His Word for all things in my life and in the lives of others.
And these two experiences, my first tragic one with Mindy, and my second joy-filled one with Linda, show me how precious is another person's spiritual life. To undertake to provide Spiritual Direction in someone else's life is a serious and awesome undertaking, one that must not be taken lightly. For each one of us is like a precious pearl, and we will be called to account before God for each one of these little ones.
Worthwhile Reading:
Booklets for daily prayer:
Day by Day Books I have read along the way:
The Helper, Catherine Marshall Let Prayer Change Your Life, Becky Tirabassi, Thomas Nelson Publishers
Nine O'Clock in the Morning, Dennis Bennett, Plainfield, N.J.:Logos The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges, NavPress Publishing Group
Victory Over the Darkness, Neil Anderson, Regal Books
Spiritual Direction - Scripture References:
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and by burden is light. Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves. Spiritual Exercise - SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
This exercise allows you to practice using your imagination in your reflection on a biblical passage. A method of meditation is used.
You will need something to write with, and you may want to refer to your Bible, so keep it nearby. You may begin now, following the step-by-step directions. May the Lord bless you during this time.
* When you are ready, read the following passage over slowly, line by line, phrase by phrase. Read it once, then return to the silence with your eyes closed. After a few moments read the passage again and return to the silence. Repeat the cycle a third time.
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Write a short paragraph on what the passage means to you.
God's Word tells us to 'Test the spirits to see whether they are from God.' 1John 4:1-6
Closing Prayer: Reflection Method of Education For Ministry, a Program of Theological Education by Extension Concluding your prayer experience - Do you feel that the Lord is leading you in any particular direction? Is there anything we can do to help?
- Do you trust that the Lord will confirm all these things to you? Do you understand what this means?
- Do you think that there is anything that you yourself can do, to get a clearer understanding of what God wants for your life? Do you feel that you have that understanding now?
- Do you understand what it means to 'bloom where you are planted?
- What can you do to nourish your spiritual life, now that you have 'tasted that the Lord is good'?
Close your time of sharing with this prayer:
This one too, shall come forth. Say these words unto her that I put in your ear.
The Lord loves you, and shall take you by the hand, and shall lead you to a new place, and great will be the joy in you, for you have held on to that which is sacred, that which is needed for life. This then shall be a sign for you: You shall be led to a new place, and great shall be the joy in your heart. The angels rejoice, for this is the glory of heaven: that all shall be led to a new place. My Name is upon you, and upon all you touch and heal in My Name. Speak, for it shall be My Voice that you hear. Walk, for it shall be My hand that you feel. Rejoice, for it is I Who have named you and led you to a new place. That you shall know it is I, you shall hear the sound of My Voice in your ear. And great is the joy in heaven for this one that is led to a new place.
Daily Bread
Every Day with Jesus
The Miracle Hour, Linda Schubert, Telephone/Fax: (408) 734-8663
Beyond Ourselves, Catherine Marshall
Something More, Catherine Marshall
To Live Again, Catherine Marshall, McGraw-Hill Book Company
Light in My Darkest Night, Catherine Marshall, Revell Publishing House
Mr. Jones, Meet The Master, edited by Catherine Marshall, Revell Publishing House
The Holy Spirit and You, Dennis & Rita Bennett, Bridge Publishing, Inc.
James 1:27
3John2
Romans 7:15
James 3:17-18
James 5:19-20
1John 4:1-3a
John 14:6
Galatians 5:22-25
2Timothy 4:1-5
Philippians 2:19-21
Matthew 11:28-30
1Corinthians 14:39-40
Romans 8:26-27
2Corinthians 10:3-5
I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!
Psalm 66:16-20
If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Luke 17:1-4
* Begin by taking a few deep breaths. Let your self relax, dwelling in the silence. Stay quiet for a few moments.
Matthew 13:45-46
After remaining silent, record your thoughts and reactions. Do this uncritically.
Simply write what you have experienced.
As you read your closing prayer, give all that you have just experienced into the Lord's hand. God is faithful, and will confirm these things to you, through His Word, and through the community of believers.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for this time. I thank You for Your unfailing Word to me. Lord, I give all these things into Your hand, and I ask You to bless me with Your divine Gift of Discernment. In the Name of Jesus.
Amen
EFM - Canada - 608 Sutherland Avenue (Kelowna) British Colomia V1Y5X1 (250) 762-3321
Here are a few questions to help you explore more deeply your prayer experience:
Lord Jesus, I praise You and I thank You, that in Your infinite love and mercy, You are always calling to me. I ask You to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life in my life. To the Glory of Your Name.
In Jesus' Name.
Amen