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Finding God's Will for You
Discover the particular plan God has for your life. Learn what God's will is and how He reveals it in even the seemingly random events of your life. You'll see why you should love and trust in God's will, and you'll learn a sure method for discovering God's will in any situation.
158 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
102 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
Francis de Sales
718 books229 followersFrancis de Sales, C.O., T.O.M., A.O.F.M. Cap. (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. His father sent him to a good school when he was young, and he received spiritual formation from the Jesuits. After a disturbing spiritual fear of being condemned, he eventually resolved his problem and decided to dedicate his life to God in 1587. He became a doctor of law at the age of 24 at the Jesuit College of Clermont, Paris, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Claude de Granier and stationed in Geneva in 1593. He became bishop of Geneva in 1602.
Francis de Sales is the author of various collections of sermons on Mary, Lent, prayer and Christmastide. He was known as a spiritually understanding man as well as a friend of the poor. Though known for his great intellect and theological wisdom, he spoke with simplicity and earnestness, so that all could understand. An Introduction to the Devout Life, his best-loved work, is based on notes he wrote for a cousin for marriage, stressing that sanctity is possible in everyday life. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. His feast is celebrated on January 24.
Francis de Sales is the author of various collections of sermons on Mary, Lent, prayer and Christmastide. He was known as a spiritually understanding man as well as a friend of the poor. Though known for his great intellect and theological wisdom, he spoke with simplicity and earnestness, so that all could understand. An Introduction to the Devout Life, his best-loved work, is based on notes he wrote for a cousin for marriage, stressing that sanctity is possible in everyday life. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. His feast is celebrated on January 24.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 22, 2018
I've been digging into the writings of St. Francis de Sales lately. I love the gentleness and wisdom with which he writes. This is a great little treatise. Although written several centuries ago, the guidance he gives is timeless.
October 24, 2020
Great book and worth a second read (don't want to miss a thing).
Even better the 2nd time through. I should really just memorize this book!
Even better the 2nd time through. I should really just memorize this book!
February 25, 2013
This book is truly a gem of wisdom and devotion. Once again, a textbook on Theology can't seem to compete with the amount of practical insight from this Saint's common sense insight into unresolved issues and unanswered questions. This book if read in unison with his Introduction to the Devout Life would be highly recommended, since this book refers back to it a handful of times.
January 24, 2022
Wow! St. Francis de Sales never fails to give deeply challenging spiritual advice that, at the same time, is still so practical. His book about discerning and embracing God's will is no exception. It is simply, as the book notes, "inspired common sense." Hard to believe he wrote this book centuries ago because it still holds up so well for Christians today. St. Francis de Sales, pray for us!
Read
March 11, 2008Great insight into discerning life decisions.
August 13, 2018
Superb
Although it takes work to absorb its message, this piece from St Francis de Sales provides a path for the Catholic to follow in our path towards sanctification.
Although it takes work to absorb its message, this piece from St Francis de Sales provides a path for the Catholic to follow in our path towards sanctification.
August 3, 2025
This book was solid. My first of St Francis de Sales’s works, whom is one of my favorites.
I did think it would be more of a book on discerning God’s will in your present circumstances, like a how to guide if that makes sense, but it still kind of is.
On the whole it talks about the importance of obedience and making His will yours, and finding His will through that. It speaks on suffering, how to find His will and not yours in the mix of that.
Something I definitely recommend for everyone, Francis de Sales is pretty great. Definitely something I will refer back to.
I did think it would be more of a book on discerning God’s will in your present circumstances, like a how to guide if that makes sense, but it still kind of is.
On the whole it talks about the importance of obedience and making His will yours, and finding His will through that. It speaks on suffering, how to find His will and not yours in the mix of that.
Something I definitely recommend for everyone, Francis de Sales is pretty great. Definitely something I will refer back to.
March 22, 2023
This is a highly practical little book, but it is packed with many beautiful metaphors and anecdotes that help convey its message. Unlike other books on the subject, it gives simple, clear guidelines on how to discern God’s will, which are very necessary in the confusing modern world. It then goes on to explain how one can gradually hand over one’s will to God despite hardships and sorrow.
I recommend this book for anyone discerning a vocation or making a difficult decision.
I recommend this book for anyone discerning a vocation or making a difficult decision.
August 3, 2024
A well-timed read for what’s going on in my life now, but definitely a book we can all turn back to again and again! I liked his simple writing style, his gentleness & the use of many Bible verses and stories.
April 19, 2019
Gentle, timeless, and uses visual metaphors
May 11, 2020
St. Francis de Sales presents a beautiful manual to discerning God’s will for your life
August 24, 2021
I found the language accessible. The book was full of advice for not only finding God's will but also following Him.
June 23, 2022
Practical and timeless advice. It’s amazing how much his insights into human nature, spiritual desolations and consolations still apply today.
June 2, 2024
Mind blowing, but didn't quite offer the clarity I was hoping for.
June 13, 2013
The Good:
profound, practical messages; simply and clearly worded
The Bad: N/A
The lesser known of St. Francis's books, Finding God's Will For You serves as an instructive discussion on how to navigate through life according to God's will. St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of writers and after reading his book, it's easy to see why. It's amazing to see how he can take a profound concept, and simplify it through metaphor and other means. Furthermore St. Francis knows how to nurture your intellectual progress, initially spoon-feeding you the most basic notions until you are ready to handle some of his more advanced contemplations.
The most basic concept that serves as the foundation of the book is the differentiation between a commandment and a counsel from God. A commandment must be followed, lest the person be punished through pain of sin. On the other hand, a counsel is merely a recommendation which will help you to love God more perfectly. The entirety of this book covers God's counsels, offering some practical advice on how to approach them in your decision-making.
"What's an example of a counsel?" you might ask. Simply stated, they are real life opportunities to practice a particular virtue. Most of the time, counsels are fairly obvious to recognize. In a humorous example, St. Francis states "When your father or mother actually needs your help in order to live, it is not the time to practice the counsel of retirement to a monastery." In this example God is counseling you to practice charity by staying home and helping your parents. God doesn't demand this of you, but you can see that if you make this choice, God will shower you with spiritual fruit, transforming your character for the better.
In the beginning of the book, St. Francis makes a profound point, saying that we become like those we love; if we love foolish women, we will become foolish; in this same way "by often taking delight in God, we become conformed to God, and our will is transformed into that of his divine majesty." St. Francis continues, elaborating on his point:
We do not receive a good graciously when it is presented to us by an enemy's hands. On the contrary, a present is always acceptable when a friend makes it. The sweetest commandments become bitter if a cruel, tyrannical heart imposes them, and they become most pleasing when ordained by love.
Here, St. Francis is explaining that if you view God merely as a strict taskmaster imposing impossibly hard rules on everyone, then you're going to fail. Incidentally, this passage also makes another profound point that applies to evangelizing. It suggests that effectively leading people to God is not a matter of winning an intellectual argument via verbal sparring, as tempting as that may be. It's about softening the hardened hearts of people so that they become susceptible to the truth. As St. Francis says, this is done with compassion and understanding.
St. Francis goes on, delving into what happens to a person who starts to take in God's counsels. He states "Sufficiency is not sufficient because true sufficiency in the things of God consists partly in the desire for affluence." In other words, just as we are never satisfied with the state of our career, always seeking to advance, the same goes for spiritual goods. If you're a patient person, you cannot be content, but strive to be even more patient. Always seek spiritual progress.
At the most advanced stage of the book, St. Francis's messages start to become daunting:
If we ask some servant in his master's retinue where he is going, he would not answer that he is going to such and such a place, but simply that he accompanies his master, since he goes nowhere of his own will, but only at his master's will.
This metaphor explains the mentality of someone whose will is in perfect conformity with God's will. In a way, it's a very unnerving thought not to be in control of your life, to willingly accept whatever God has in store for you, whether it be tremendous suffering or otherwise. But in this realization, we also are able to see how far down we are compared to saints, who were excited for God's Will to be done even if it meant tumultuous suffering and death on their part.
Many times a book will contain profound wisdom but be tedious to read. This is not one of those books. St. Francis will get you to think deeply about your life choices, particularly on the opportunities you have to conform your will to God's. Regardless of what God has in store for you on earth, it's His Will for you to be with Him in heaven. And that's all that matters.
The Bad: N/A
The lesser known of St. Francis's books, Finding God's Will For You serves as an instructive discussion on how to navigate through life according to God's will. St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of writers and after reading his book, it's easy to see why. It's amazing to see how he can take a profound concept, and simplify it through metaphor and other means. Furthermore St. Francis knows how to nurture your intellectual progress, initially spoon-feeding you the most basic notions until you are ready to handle some of his more advanced contemplations.
The most basic concept that serves as the foundation of the book is the differentiation between a commandment and a counsel from God. A commandment must be followed, lest the person be punished through pain of sin. On the other hand, a counsel is merely a recommendation which will help you to love God more perfectly. The entirety of this book covers God's counsels, offering some practical advice on how to approach them in your decision-making.
"What's an example of a counsel?" you might ask. Simply stated, they are real life opportunities to practice a particular virtue. Most of the time, counsels are fairly obvious to recognize. In a humorous example, St. Francis states "When your father or mother actually needs your help in order to live, it is not the time to practice the counsel of retirement to a monastery." In this example God is counseling you to practice charity by staying home and helping your parents. God doesn't demand this of you, but you can see that if you make this choice, God will shower you with spiritual fruit, transforming your character for the better.
In the beginning of the book, St. Francis makes a profound point, saying that we become like those we love; if we love foolish women, we will become foolish; in this same way "by often taking delight in God, we become conformed to God, and our will is transformed into that of his divine majesty." St. Francis continues, elaborating on his point:
We do not receive a good graciously when it is presented to us by an enemy's hands. On the contrary, a present is always acceptable when a friend makes it. The sweetest commandments become bitter if a cruel, tyrannical heart imposes them, and they become most pleasing when ordained by love.
Here, St. Francis is explaining that if you view God merely as a strict taskmaster imposing impossibly hard rules on everyone, then you're going to fail. Incidentally, this passage also makes another profound point that applies to evangelizing. It suggests that effectively leading people to God is not a matter of winning an intellectual argument via verbal sparring, as tempting as that may be. It's about softening the hardened hearts of people so that they become susceptible to the truth. As St. Francis says, this is done with compassion and understanding.
St. Francis goes on, delving into what happens to a person who starts to take in God's counsels. He states "Sufficiency is not sufficient because true sufficiency in the things of God consists partly in the desire for affluence." In other words, just as we are never satisfied with the state of our career, always seeking to advance, the same goes for spiritual goods. If you're a patient person, you cannot be content, but strive to be even more patient. Always seek spiritual progress.
At the most advanced stage of the book, St. Francis's messages start to become daunting:
If we ask some servant in his master's retinue where he is going, he would not answer that he is going to such and such a place, but simply that he accompanies his master, since he goes nowhere of his own will, but only at his master's will.
This metaphor explains the mentality of someone whose will is in perfect conformity with God's will. In a way, it's a very unnerving thought not to be in control of your life, to willingly accept whatever God has in store for you, whether it be tremendous suffering or otherwise. But in this realization, we also are able to see how far down we are compared to saints, who were excited for God's Will to be done even if it meant tumultuous suffering and death on their part.
Many times a book will contain profound wisdom but be tedious to read. This is not one of those books. St. Francis will get you to think deeply about your life choices, particularly on the opportunities you have to conform your will to God's. Regardless of what God has in store for you on earth, it's His Will for you to be with Him in heaven. And that's all that matters.
April 14, 2013
This book is a nice, accessible treatise on what it means to seek God's will and to have His will operate in your life. I appreciate his distinction between commands and what God asks of individuals according to their specific situation. He allows for greater influence of personal situation and personality than many other Christian theologians, and as such this book is quite practical and (thus) uniquely valuable.
I found some inconsistencies in St. Francis' thought, but he had so many wonderful insights beyond those inconsistencies that the book is still incredibly enriching. His reminder to concern ourselves only with what we do and are called to do, rather than the results or outcomes of our actions, was timely for me and beautifully written. Regardless of your religious or spiritual persuasion, it's a good reminder that most things are out of our control and as such we should live life with acceptance, peace and a continual striving to do good (God's will).
St. Francis also advocates the sort of emotional and willful detachment that many Christian contemplatives have admired over the centuries, and these sections of the book were interesting to read from a non-contemplative perspective. It seems to me that that detachment is not, in many ways, possible for those of us who are not contemplatives -- those of us who have not chosen to live apart from many of the relationship attachments of contemporary society. Even so, there are still many things from which we should detach that drain the focus and energy we should devote to those people God has placed in our lives. The ultimate exhortation is to not let our emotions and desires control us, but to learn self-control in everything (a certainly timeless human issue phrased here in Christian contexts).
I look forward to rereading this book in the future, as it does contain many gems of wisdom that I would do well to meditate on in greater length.
I found some inconsistencies in St. Francis' thought, but he had so many wonderful insights beyond those inconsistencies that the book is still incredibly enriching. His reminder to concern ourselves only with what we do and are called to do, rather than the results or outcomes of our actions, was timely for me and beautifully written. Regardless of your religious or spiritual persuasion, it's a good reminder that most things are out of our control and as such we should live life with acceptance, peace and a continual striving to do good (God's will).
St. Francis also advocates the sort of emotional and willful detachment that many Christian contemplatives have admired over the centuries, and these sections of the book were interesting to read from a non-contemplative perspective. It seems to me that that detachment is not, in many ways, possible for those of us who are not contemplatives -- those of us who have not chosen to live apart from many of the relationship attachments of contemporary society. Even so, there are still many things from which we should detach that drain the focus and energy we should devote to those people God has placed in our lives. The ultimate exhortation is to not let our emotions and desires control us, but to learn self-control in everything (a certainly timeless human issue phrased here in Christian contexts).
I look forward to rereading this book in the future, as it does contain many gems of wisdom that I would do well to meditate on in greater length.
November 28, 2015
An excellent affirmation of Christian living. He understands the simplicity of loving God's will above all else is a freeing struggle.
"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God."
I loved each brief chapter, such as "Serve God in the circumstances in which He places you" and "When following inspirations, always obey the authority of the Church". There is so much wisdom and sound advice packed in this small book. I look forward to reading it again.
"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God."
I loved each brief chapter, such as "Serve God in the circumstances in which He places you" and "When following inspirations, always obey the authority of the Church". There is so much wisdom and sound advice packed in this small book. I look forward to reading it again.
September 15, 2012
Excerpted from Books 8 and 9 of "Treatise on the Love of God," St. Francis de Sales teaches us how to discern God's will for us and how to totally give up our own will in order to fulfill God's. Also has great advice on the value of suffering. Great for anyone struggling to find what God has in store, particularly for those discerning a vocation.
July 14, 2009
This work is excerpted from the longer Treatise on the Love of God. It's a pretty decent piece of writing on the subject of its title. Was more of a recommendation from someone else to read this, rather than my own idea, but I don't regret doing so.
April 20, 2007
Great spiritual reading
April 12, 2023
"Discerning the Will of God" by Timothy M Gallagher was more practical in day to day execution.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews