Saint Anne Orthodox Church

Another way of discovering the will of God is through the advice received from spiritual fathers and confessors.

 
For a better understanding of this process we shall now direct our attention to the teachings of the blessed elder Joseph the Hesychast: “The great blessing of obedience which beneficently overshadows those who esteem it, becomes for them knowledge where they are ignorant and protection and strength to carry out the advice or commandment, because God is revealed to those who are obedient in His character as a father. The perfection of obedience, as the consummate virtue, puts its followers on a level with the Son of God, who became ‘obedient…unto the cross’ (Phil. 2:8). And as our Jesus was given all power (Mt. 28:18) and all the good pleasure of the Father, so the obedient are given assurance of the divine will and the grace to carry it out successfully and to the full. Those who ask spiritual people in order to discover the divine will should be aware of this point: the will of God is not revealed magically, nor does it hold a position of relativity, since it is not contained within the narrow confines of human reason. In His consummate goodness God condescends to human weakness and gives man sure knowledge. But man must first believe absolutely, and secondly humble himself by thirsting ardently for this assurance and by being disposed to carry it out. This is why he receives with faith and gratitude the first word of the spiritual father who is advising him. When, however, these requirements of faith, obedience and humility do not co-exist –and it is a sign of this when someone objects or counters with questions, or worst of all has a mind to keep asking for second opinions- then the will of God is hidden, like the sun behind a passing cloud. This is a subtle matter and requires great care. Abba Mark says, ‘A man gives advice to his neighbor according to what he knows; but God works in the hearer according to his faith.’ An essential requirement in seeking the divine will is that the person who is asking should make himself receptive to this revelation, because, as I have said before, the divine will with its transcendent character is not magically contained within positions or places or instruments, but is revealed only to those who are worthy of this divine condescension.”