Spiritual Direction
“We define Christian spiritual direction as help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live the consequences of the relationships.”
What is Spiritual Direction?
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit” -Galatians 5:25 NRS
As a part of the broader field of spiritual formation, spiritual direction (or guidance) focuses on cultivating a person’s relationship with God. It is a ministry of discernment offering prayerful listening & attention to the movements & presence of God in every aspect of your life, & how you are responding. The spiritual director is a sacred companion who prayerfully listens to you in order to help discern & notice with you God’s loving presence & action in your life.
“A Spiritual Director is not a counselor, a therapist or an analyst, but a mature fellow Christian to whom we choose to be accountable for living our spiritual life and from whom we can expect prayerful guidance in our constant struggle to discern God’s activity.”
In spiritual direction, your story has a place to unfold & be honored as you describe struggles, losses, joys, milestones, & questions on your spiritual journey. It is a place to be receptive to God’s invitations of grace in your life. Through spiritual direction, you learn to recognize & follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you integrate doctrine & belief with the lived experience of your faith.
Spiritual direction leads to a growing awareness of God’s love for you in all of life. It is a place to discover, notice & respond to God’s transforming work of grace. A spiritual director has the privilege of prayerfully listening & drawing attention to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the life of another as we are being shaped into Christlikeness. Those called to this ministry recognize God as the true director & consider themselves to be “holy listeners”.
“God used Spiritual Direction to save my life and ministry. In some ways, that statement may be too extreme, but as I reflect over the last decade-plus, I believe it to be true. My Spiritual Director became the safe person for me when I needed to wrestle with God in ways that I wasn’t sure others could handle. I needed someone with spiritual authority & also a particular grace for understanding the human journey of life with God. Because of this grace, I’ve remained & thrived in ministry, & I’ve matured in faith with less sharp edges & greater love.”
What Happens in a Spiritual Direction Session?
A person meets with their spiritual director usually once a month for an hour. The session is held in a relaxed atmosphere of confidentiality & mutual respect where a person can openly examine their life & relationship with God. There is no set agenda. The director is a reverent listener offering reflective questions & guidance as your spiritual journey unfolds. A session may include spoken &/or silent prayer, contemplative exercises, or Scripture reading.
Who is Spiritual Direction for?
Anyone! Those seeking spiritual direction come in all shapes & sizes. Some come with a desire for:
A deeper prayer life
Guidance through transitions in life
Help noticing & responding to God’s presence in the midst of daily life
Discerning & living out of God’s call
A prayer companion & guide through a difficult season of life
A safe & confidential place to share dreams, losses, & struggles
How Do I Choose a Spiritual Director?
It is important that in any spiritual direction relationship there be a mutual sense of open, honest & clear communication & a reverence for the unique way God is working in the individuals involved.
With that backdrop, during the initial phone call you may want to ask:
Where do you meet with people?
What are your fees?
How long are your sessions?
Where did you receive your training?
How long have you been offering spiritual direction?
When can we arrange for an initial interview?
Is a fee expected for the first interview?
In preparing to interview a spiritual director, you may want to consider:
Your objectives in seeking spiritual direction
Attitudes/characteristics you would like to find in a spiritual director
Their theological background & faith tradition
How they attend to their own spiritual journey
Compensation is typically discussed & agreed upon at the first meeting & generally ranges from $40 to $100 per session.
After 3 or 4 meetings, you may want to ask:
Do I experience a feeling of trust, comfort & freedom with this director?
Am I able to speak to this person about my most important issues?
Is this person a good listener; do I feel heard?
Will this relationship help me grow in prayer & in my relationship with God?
What is the director’s view of the “fit” of our relationship?
How Do I find a Spiritual Director?
There are many ways! PAX has a staff of trained & experienced spiritual directors as well as a list of those we have trained through our certificate program. To find out more or to arrange an appointment with a director visit our directory page through the link below!