Uniformity with God's Will

“Everything we do should be directed to this one end: to do the will of God and to do it solely for the reason that God wills it.”

-St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

I am currently re-reading St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori's great work "Uniformity with God's Will". This is such a beautiful reflection and teaching on the importance of uniting ourselves entirely to the will of God. It is a great book to have on-the-go, as it is very short and simple, but profoundly deep. I am especially grateful that I picked it back up recently because I have been going through a particular time of uncertainty in my life, and this concept has brought me consolation and clarity.

It is a concept that is both extremely simple yet difficult to live fully. When we are making decisions, especially big life decisions, how do we know that we are doing God's will? I admit this is extremely puzzling, and many times that I have tried to tackle doing God's will over my own will, I become more confused than when I started. But, maybe that's exactly where we're supposed to be. Maybe in the midst of the struggle, the wrestling with God, is where God reveals himself to us the most. Maybe all we need to do is stay quiet and listen.

I don't think the answer to his will for our life will come down on a cloud in flashing lights. No, I believe it is much more subtle than that. The more you pray, read scripture, practice adoration of the blessed sacrament, and recieve the eucharist, the more your mind will be attuned to these subtleties. Trust me, I know from experience. When I am in a "spiritual groove" I am noticibly more content, able to make decisions with peace, and grounded (and trust me this isn't often!).

It's hard, but don't get frustrated. We are in a world that has constant distractions, constant noise, no time to sit and think. It is our job to "unwind" the strangle the world has on our peace and quiet, and become in tune with how God is working things out in our lives. Quite honeslty, the times when I've felt God's will happening in my life have been mostly in direct contrast to my own will. This is probably true for most of us. But he is a good Father: he knows what's best for us, even though it may be hard for us now. That could be loss of a loved one, job loss, or many of the struggles of this world. Remember what Jesus said: "In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world". I think sometimes that's all we really need to know.

If you find yourself trying to discern God's will for your life, or you are just not sure what direction to turn, I recommend picking this book up on your iBooks app, or ordering from Amazon for as little as under $2. St. Alphonsus uses easy language and practical steps for uniting yourself to the Divine Will, and backs up his reasoning with stories and quotes from other saints and spiritual fathers. Take a look and let me know what you think!