Spiritual Direction
I’ve heard you talking about spiritual direction, Sarah. What is it?
Spiritual direction is a Christian companionship where I, as the director, depend on the Holy Spirit to practice close listening and ask deepening questions. My kind intention is to help you, the directee, discern how God is moving below the surface of your daily life. As your director, my job is to provide an open and safe place for you to explore what God is doing and how you are responding to it. God’s continuous and close presence, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, gives us confidence to trust his guidance.
A typical session will last about one hour and will take place once a month. When we meet online or in person, we can spend a few minutes in normal greetings before we move into direction. Often, I will open the session with a time of silence where you can settle and calm yourself, letting go of the daily concerns. When you are ready, you can begin talking about what God has put on your heart. This could be a burden or a joy! In some sessions you may talk a great deal, and other times, we may rest in a quiet holding place, waiting on God. You can expect me to possibly summarize your thoughts or notice reoccurring themes. I may ask questions to help you think more deeply about your own words or reactions. This won’t be a place for me to offer advice or connect you to resources. God is the Resource and He is with us.
What is the difference between spiritual direction and counseling?
Excellent question! People generally seek out counseling when faced with a crisis. They might see a counsellor for a few months or until they find workable solutions for their problems. Spiritual direction could be compared to maintenance work. To keep the car running well, you take it to the shop every few months; to keep your house in good condition, you stay up to date on repairs. In life, it is always good to have someone alongside us on a regular basis, through the ups and downs of life, helping us continue to keep our eyes fixed on God and his deep work.
How do you imagine yourself as a spiritual director, Sarah?
Well…as I contemplated this new role I’ve entered, I painted this picture of an elaborate frame holding the empty space. I called it “Making Space.” That is what spiritual directors do. Like spiritual watchmen (or women) they help a directee carve out time devoted to God. They hold space for whatever the directee feels led to talk about. By inviting God’s presence into the direction hour, the whole space becomes a prayer where the directee experiences God directing them, changing perspectives, and brining healing.
I noticed that your frame is complex.
Well, that is because I am complex! Spiritual directors are humans too! They have their own set of challenges in life, but they have spent time working on their lives with God to do the inner healing necessary. When well-done, their “homework” allows directors to engage in whole-hearted listening, free from their own agendas, making space for their directees to notice subtle movements in their hearts. My painted frame and this whole blog represent the great work God has accomplished in me. He has brought order to my confusion and helped me settle into my identity. Beautiful!
Now it is time for your story to come forward.
Do you have a specific area you have specialized in, Sarah?
Due to my experiences as a person with permanent disabilities and chronic pain, I consider myself specially equipped to work with people in similar situations. There is a way to be deeply spiritual and experience God’s freedom and abundant life, even when our circumstances are not changing. Inside this place of struggle, we can shift our perceptions, our relationship to our body, and how we view our pain. That said, I’m willing to work with anyone who feels drawn to the idea of deepening their relationship with the Lord through a longer-term spiritual direction relationship.
Tell me more about this. Do you charge for Spiritual Direction?
Thank you for asking! Yes. Spiritual direction is a service you pay for.
Why?
Well, we value the services we pay for. As your spiritual director, my job is to come alongside you as you do your work to make changes in life. I’ve been trained in this at Fuller Theological Seminary, but no matter how much training I have, God is inviting you to be the one to pay close attention to your life and see how He is moving. I can help with that.
Please contact me if you are interested in starting a Spiritual Direction relationship and we can work on the details!
Sarah Jose
To learn more about spiritual direction, please visit the Christ-centered Spiritual Directors Association, where I’m registered as a director.