The Eighth Spiritual Lesson: The will of the spirit against Christ is revealed in fear. “This spirit against Christ drives a man by a fear of something false.  While the Spirit of Christ draws a man by a peaceful presence to something that is true.”
Questions: Does your fear come when you are desiring to do God’s will and the thought of you choosing not to do His will causes your fear?  Or, rather, does your fear come when you are focused on what you want and the thought that God might want something different makes you afraid;   if so, identify that as the will of the spirit against Christ and turn away from it, inviting Christ into the situation by repeating a simple prayer like, “Jesus I trust in you!”
The Ninth Spiritual Lesson: You must stand firm in faith in what you received from God. “This is the essential choice.  If one does not make this choice, his spiritual life will be the experience of a ping pong ball, bouncing back and forth, believing one desire one day and the opposite one the next.  He will be a confused man.”
Questions: Do you have moments in prayer where the next step you are to take becomes quite clear from the experience of the peace of Christ, but then you believe and follow the thoughts, feelings, and desires in the fear flowing from the spirit against Christ, causing you to change your mind and not move forward?  Identify those movements and cling to Christ during them by praying, “Jesus, I I trust in you.”
Based on “Is Jesus Calling You To Be A Catholic Priest: A helpful guide,” published by National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Director.
 
Fr. Paul Hoesing serves at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as Dean of Seminarians & Director of Human Formation