Spiritual Direction

Importance of journeying with another
In his book Healing Grace, David Seamands points out the importance of friendship:
We talk a lot about being honest with ourselves and with God. And we sincerely – sometimes desperately – try to do this in our times of Bible reading and prayer. But the kind of honesty and self-knowledge which will bring about lasting changes in our lives almost always requires another person. It is when we disclose our true, private selves to someone else that we fully come to know ourselves for real. Down deep we may dimly perceive the truth about our real selves, yet we go on denying or covering it with our superselves – even in prayer. However, once we have actually put the truth into words and shared with another, it becomes increasingly difficult to continue deceiving ourselves.
[David A. Seamands, Healing Grace (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1988), 180.]
In the twelfth century, Aelred of Rievaulx (1109-1166) wrote Spiritual Friendship. In this book he writes:
What happiness, what security, what joy to have someone to whom you dare to speak on term of equality as to another self; one to whom you can unblushingly make known what progress you have made in the spiritual life; one to whom you can entrust all the secrets of your heart and before whom you can place all your plans.

What spiritual direction is NOT:
• Pastoral Counseling- They come with a problem with and not seeking an experience of God. The focus becomes not the God but the pastor who is giving the word.
• Accountability – Does not hold some one to a certain prescribed way of living. It’s rather a space where people come to explore their relationship with God. It’s a constant invitation to a deeper relationship not guilt for failed attempts.
• Psychological counseling- Not necessarily a problem-solving ministry. Direction is more spirit centered than problem centered. Direction could be initiated by crisis or a problem but its goal is growth in one’s relationship to God, not resolution to a particular problem. The problem is merely the place where one meets God it is not the focus. Counselors usually seek to be empathetic to the counseled while directors are empathetic to the Spirit.
• Authoritarian – The term direction implies telling someone what to do. The true spiritual Director is the Holy Spirit. It’s one Christian accompanying another as he or she seeks to increase attentiveness to the presence and direction of the Spirit of God
• Advice Giving- Some people come to direction so that the director will tell them what to do to get their life on track. It’s not at about providing the correct spiritual answers this is secondary. It’s about the mysterious unfolding of life in God.
• Discipling - Discipling usually implies accountability. While direction may involve a certain degree of accountability it is more editing. Discipleship has more structure and usually follows a curriculum with information to be passed. Discipleship is usually more valuable and needed for those new in the faith.
• Preaching – Does not involve telling them what I think God wants them to do. “God has a plan for your life and let me tell you what it is.” Scripture may play a place in the relationship but it is not the primary to or concern for deepening one’s relationship with God.
• Just friendship - Not two good friends getting together to talk about God

Spiritual Direction is:

Spiritual Direction is a prayer process in which a person seeking help in cultivating a deeper personal relationship with God meets with another for prayer and conversation that is focused on increasing awareness of God in the midst of life experiences and facilitating surrender to God. (David Benner, Sacred Companions)



What happens in Spiritual Direction:
• Listening- Not an opportunity to share our own journey. It’s helping them discern if they are moving towards God or away from God. Holding the mystery of their STORY. What does it feel like for that person? What are they experiencing?
• Affirmation-affirm others GIFTS. “I have noticed this in you…. Etc.”
• Clarification- Asking the questions to find the answer that person already has in them.
• Integration- Is to ask the question: “So what are you going to do now, how are you going to integrate this into your life? “
• Discernment- focuses on moving towards or away from God.
• Prayer- Always a dynamic of spiritual direction.

Two essential qualifications of a spiritual direction.
1. Director is also a directee
2. And has a deepening relationship with God - We need to walk the journey ourselves it’s out of our journey that we minister.

The function of the spiritual director is to bear witness, living testimony, to the directtee that what he or she seeks is real. You do this by being transparent to what God is doing in your life.

Reading Resources

Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship & Direction, by David Benner
Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction, by Margaret Guenther
Listening for the Soul: Pastoral Care and Spiritual Direction, By Jean Stairs

Resources for Finding a Spiritual Director:

Jason Phillips contact info

Center for Spiritual Development
www.thecsd.org
434 S. Batavia Street, Orange, CA 92868-3907
(714)744-3175 | (714)744-3176 fax | csdinfo@csjorange.org