What Does God Want?: A Practical Guide to Making Decisions

by Michael Scanlan, James D. Manney

This book is designed to help you make these decisions. It offers a five part process for decision making that can help you choose the right course of action in matters large and small.

Genres: Catholic, Self Help, Religion, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity

127 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Vincent Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Third Order Regular. He was responsible for the revival of the College of Steubenville, now known as Franciscan University of Steubenville. Scanlan served the university for 26 years as president and then 11 years as chancellor, before retiring in 2011.

He resided at the Sacred Heart Province motherhouse in Loretto, Pennsylvania prior to his death.

Reviews

[Michal Čop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Františkán a bývalý rektor Franciscan University of Steubenville Michael Scanlan v knihe zosumarizoval základné princípy na základe ktorých by sa mal kresťan (katolík) riadiť pri rozhodovaní. Celkovo sa dajú zhrnúť do piatich bodov:
-Je to v súlade s Božími prikázaniami?
-Posilní to moju vieru, alebo vieru mojich blízkych?
-Je to konzistentné s tým ako so mnou hovoril Boh doposiaľ?
-Potvrdzuje moje rozhodnutie niečo? (priatelia, rodina, okolnosti, vnuknutia...)
-Pociťujem pri tom pokoj v srdci?
Okrem týchto bodov sa v knihe nachádza ešte zopár ďalších usmernení (ako prekonať ťažkosti, ako poradiť iným, byť odvážny...) a praktických rád (ako sa modliť a pracovné hárky).

Celkovo je kniha príjemným úvodom do témy správneho rozhodovania. Tému síce nevyčerpáva, ale môže slúžiť ako dobrý odrazový mostík pre človeka, ktorý by sa chcel téme viac venovať, alebo o nej nemá ani šajny. Mne osobne potvrdila niektoré veci, ktoré som pri rozhodovaní podvedome zvažoval, no v podstate som si ani nebol vedomý toho, že to robím, alebo som im nevenoval až takú pozornosť ako som mal (srdce, viera) a prvýkrát som sa v nej dozvedel o konzistentnosti.
Dobré na knihe je, že je písaná z katolíckej perspektívy a preto vychádza aj z tradície, či učenia svätých a nezabúda ani na poslušnosť, ktorá je v katolíckej cirkvi dôležitým faktorom.
Vďaka kombinácií príbehov zo života ľudí a vysvetlení ako ich chápať sa taktiež dobre a rýchlo čítala.
V pohode, odporúčam.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably the best book on decision-making/discernment that I've ever encountered. Super practical, genuine, and not stress-inducing (!!). It's also not just geared towards young people/those involved in vocational discernment- he addresses all stages of life and various types of decisions. Definitely would recommend.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful on learning to make decisions!

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 5 step process to considering decisions based on what God wants for you and in your life. Some of it is written from the Catholic perspective, but I did find most of the steps to have fairly universal applications and be well grounded.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, concise, and spot on.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite an impressive read. It is concise and direct, loaded with experience to reflect on and contribute to. His organization of the criteria by which to judge ones choices is very helpful. The appendix is very good as well. Overall, this book is insightful and I recommend those caught up in indecisiveness to read this book and apply the worksheet. I cannot wait to apply this in order to garner some direction for myself.

[Ashley Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the bad cover and somewhat cringey title; the contents of this book are amazing. I've been plagued and haunted by big decision after big decision in my adult life, with almost no confidence in which direction to go. Fr. Scanlan gives straightforward steps for discerning decisions big and small from a faithful Catholic perspective. I'll be revisiting this book again and again. Highly recommend!

[Maria Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very insightful and well-laid out book for helping you develop a proper system of discernment!

[nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So practical and helpful!

[Christopher David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes mystical, sometimes practical, sometimes Biblical, Fr. Scanlan's book on discerning God's will is basically everything you'd expect from a Catholic writer.

As a protestant, there is much one will disagree while at the very same time much one will also agree with. Certainly made a good read, but wouldn't be high on my list of recommendations.

[Riko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical and applicative.

[Nonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to read this book again...... take notes

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to read it over and over and over again.