Discernment, Discipleship, and Direction: Types of Spiritual Coaching

The spiritual life must not be lived in isolation. It is a call to the community as much as it is the salvation of your soul. Throughout history, people have looked for spiritual guides, and many shared their wisdom in written form. You can receive great benefits from spiritual coaching. The care of your mental health and spiritual health are both important to your overall health.

There are many ways to receive spiritual guidance in your life. You may want to find someone to act as a spiritual coach in your life. When you want to reach out to another person for guidance you might be looking for a few different things. Here are a few ways to narrow down what you want from a spiritual coach.

What do you need?

When you are in search of spiritual coaching that could mean a few different things. How do you determine if you need discernment, discipleship, or direction?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine what you need.

• Do I have a significant life decision that I need to make?.
• How will my choices of career, family, education, and place to live impact my spiritual well-being?.
• Do I have questions about the Bible?.
• Are my questions about the background of the Bible or about its application in my life?.
• Am I struggling to have a relationship with God?.
• How can I tell if God is doing anything in my life?.
• Am I struggling with a crisis or mental health challenge? How do those things impact my spiritual well-being?.

If you said yes to 1 and 2, you may be seeking discernment. For 3 and 4, you may seek discipleship. The answer yes to 5 and 6 is a need for direction. If the answer was yes to 7, you can set up an appointment for spiritual coaching with one of our counselors today.

Discernment.

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. – Proverbs 8:6-11, NIV

There are two ways you can experience discernment. The first is in your daily life. The book of Proverbs speaks of the value of wisdom, using the metaphors of precious metals and gems. Wisdom applied to your life can provide you with great discernment about truth.

There are a few things you can do to improve your discernment:

• Be informed.
• Seek advice from trusted people.
• Be honest with yourself.
• Take your time.
• Trust your gut.

A second experience of discernment is in making a major decision. In this instance bringing in other voices can help you through the process. A Christian counselor, your pastor, or other Christians whom you respect can aid in the discernment process. They cannot decide for you, but they may be able to bring some different perspectives for you to consider.

Sometimes there are groups of people who need to discern a decision together, from church leaders to small groups. Finding a spiritual coach to listen to and moderate the conversations can benefit the discernment process.

You can ask a Christian counselor, spiritual director, or leaders from sister churches to be discernment partners in the process. Having external accountability and an objective third party is a wise action when trying to make big decisions both as an individual and entity.

Discipleship.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20, NIV

Discipleship is the process of learning and following the teachings of a particular person or group. In the context of Christianity, discipleship is the process of learning and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. It involves a commitment to studying the Bible, praying, and living a life that is obedient to God’s will.

Discipleship is a lifelong journey, and it is not always easy. There will be times when we will fail, but God is always there to forgive us and help us to grow in our faith. Discipleship is a gift from God, and it is a privilege to be a part of the body of Christ.

Here are some of the benefits of discipleship:

• It helps us to grow in our faith.
• It provides us with community and support.
• It teaches us how to live a life that is pleasing to God.
• It equips us to share our faith with others.

Listening to Sunday sermons and reading books are only one part of your spiritual growth. As you read the Bible, go through different challenges and trials, and generally encounter other people, you are likely to have questions. That is where discipleship is such a valuable tool.

A spiritual coach can come alongside you, listen to your questions, and protect you from gross misinterpretations of Scripture. There are a lot of complicated passages in the Bible, there is a lot of growing and changing you go through as a Christian. Finding a mature Christian to talk with you and guide you through the ups and downs of your faith is an amazing gift.

Some people to consider as a spiritual coach:

• A pastor, elder, or deacon.
• A Christian counselor.
• Small groups.
• A mature Christian.
• Bible scholars.
• Online seminary options.

Direction.

Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” – Daniel 2:19-23, NIV

A spiritual director is an ancient role that is coming more into the mainstream. Rooted in the tradition of desert fathers and mothers, Catholic mystics, and new monastics, this is a person who is trained to listen to you and the Holy Spirit. A spiritual director leads a deeply prayerful life and engages in a variety of spiritual practices.

Spiritual directors act as holy listeners. When you are speaking, he or she is listening through the words to discern how God is present in your life. When you are in the middle of a struggle, it can be hard to see where God is working. Regular visits with a spiritual director can help you see God’s hand at work.

Much like Daniel, a spiritual director is seeking the wisdom and power of God to understand things that are difficult for those of us who are just trying to live our busy lives.

Spiritual direction is a type of spiritual coaching that has some differences from Christian counseling and discipleship. The emphasis of counseling is giving advice and solutions to issues you are dealing with. The purpose of discipleship is learning about the Scripture and the life you are called to as a Christian. In spiritual direction, the intention is to pay attention to the way that God is currently present in your life. Spiritual direction is not going to give advice, answers, or solutions.

Christian counseling for spiritual coaching.

Whatever type of spiritual coaching you need, our counselors will be happy to talk with you and find the best fit for your needs.