While we certainly agree with St. Peter, “We must obey God,” there are lots of caveats that surround such a statement. After all, the Crusaders thought they were obeying God, the Inquistors, the Conquistadors, the Slave owners. The 9/11 terrorists claimed to be obeying God. In fact, we look back at those situations and see that it was not so much God but personal ambition, greed, power, resentment, self-justification that drove their actions. So how do you discern what is God’s will and not your own desires writ large? Some excellent criteria are found in the signs of the Holy Spirit. If what you feel called to do promotes the fruits of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, modesty, self-control — then there is a good to excellent chance that what you feel called to do is, in fact, obeying God.
