Discernment with the Help of St. Joseph

As I attempt to navigate the complexities of everyday life while holding firm to my faith, I often experience a significant challenge in my spiritual journey. Although I am surrounded by the incredible noise of the world, one amazing Saint has emerged for me as a beacon of strength, humbleness, and unyielding trust in God, St. Joseph. His silent example of fidelity urges me to turn to him in times of struggle, seeking guidance to know God's will concerning my future, especially as regards to finding a spouse who is a practicing Catholic. 

St. Joseph had incredible trust in God, even when being called upon by God to take Mary into his home, and for caring for her and Jesus. His silent, firm obedience teaches me to offer up my own plans for my life to the will of God. It is easy to get caught up in my own dreams and expectations, but looking to St. Joseph reminds me that true peace comes from trusting in God's divine plan even when we do not understand it.

His role as the protector of the Holy Family resonates with me on a deep level. It provides a model of what a faithful, loving husband should embody—someone who prioritizes fulfilling God's will, protecting his family, and placing himself in the last place in complete and total humility. St. Joseph's example beckons me to set my standards high, knowing that God desires the best for me as His daughter, and that I can trust His timing in bringing the right person into my life, if it is His holy will. 

I have made it a part of my everyday practice to turn to St. Joseph in prayer, seeking his intercession as I continue to discern the vocation to marriage, if that is what God wills for me. St. Teresa of Avila has said:

I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to the glorious St Joseph, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I do not remember that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant.

I continue to approach St. Joseph with confidence. When I pray to him, I ask for his guidance in helping me to make decisions, clarity to understand God's will, and the patience to wait with faith. 

As I discern marriage as my vocation, I ask blessed St. Joseph to help me recognize a spouse who authentically and wholeheartedly shares my Catholic faith and values. Just as he exemplified purity and virtue, I pray for a husband who strives to live in accordance with God's will alongside me. I know with my entire heart that this beautiful Saint will help lead me to a gentleman who reflects the qualities he embodied throughout his earthly life. And I believe very strongly that I have found that man. 

By turning to St. Joseph, I feel less anxious about the future. I focus on deepening my own faith and preparing my heart to love selflessly, relying completely on the Lord, through St. Joseph’s intercession will guide me on the right path, that will ultimately lead me heavenward.