www.vocation.com - Should I stop my studies now or take the advice of my

	Florian asks: Excuse me for my English, I'm German and French. I just discovered your website yesterday. I'm 20 years old and I live in France. During the last three months a big desire to announce the Gospel has grown in my heart. I also have the impression that God is calling me to the consecrated life. The problem is that I started my studies a year ago in an engineering school. It is quite a bit of work and I would prefer to give up my studies in order to announce the Gospel and to discern my vocation. I had a very precise call to do this two weeks ago when I opened my bible and read this: "throw your bread into water,..., you dont know the work of God which can do everything." I have a spiritual director, but we haven''t talked about this yet. My parents are separated and my mother thinks pursuing my vocation is a waste of time. She wants me to have a university post-graduate professional degree before I take a time to discern my vocation. But I feel that God wants me to throw all my studies into the water in order to announce the Gospel! Should I abandon myself to God and stop my studies now or should I take the advice of my mother and wait until I finish my studies(in 4 years)? Thank you for what you do.
	Dear Florian, Certainly, what you are feeling may well be an inspiration and a call from God. However, it needs to be tested, and the way to do that is to bring up the subject with your spiritual director without delay. There is more to a vocation than the wish to serve the Gospel and the feeling that God is calling you to the consecrated life, although they are very good grounds for thinking that a vocation may be there if those two are present. Your spiritual director knows you; he knows your past and the lines upon which your relationship with Christ has been developing. He knows your qualities and abilities, your weaknesses and where you need to grow. He will be able to help you discern your vocation and prepare you for it if you have one but are not ready for it yet. Once you are going through this process with your spiritual director you will have much more information and explanations to help your mother understand your decisions. God bless,


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