The three longings of the heart

Last week, I was at Divine Mercy University helping facilitate the residency for the School of Spiritual Direction. Every time I am there, I leave humbled. Priests, religious sisters, consecrated men and women, deacons, and laypeople from across the country gather with a common desire: to help others encounter God. It is hard not to sense the Holy Spirit moving in a place like that.

At the closing Mass on Trinity Sunday, the university president, Fr. Charles Sikorski, offered a simple but profound insight. Every human heart longs for three things: identity, connection, and mission. The Trinity reveals all three. And spiritual direction is often the place where people rediscover them.

I see this often.  Some I meet with have retired from stellar careers.  Instead of peace and fulfillment, they discover a surprising emptiness. Their identity was rooted in their work, their connections tied to professional relationships, and their mission defined by achievement. When those things disappear, their soul feels adrift.

St. Augustine understood this well: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” That restlessness is not a failure. It is often an invitation. God uses it to draw us toward a deeper identity, richer relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose.

I have experienced this myself. Ten years ago, I was a general manager for the largest steel company in the world. Today, I drive a bus for the homeless.  I also teach at a Catholic university and accompany dozens in spiritual direction. None of this was anywhere on my expected life’s trajectory, yet God slowly rewrote my story, giving me a new identity, deeper connections, and a mission I never imagined.

The most difficult moments were the times I resisted. Fear and pride tempted me to cling to an old identity. Yet God was patient.  

The first blog post I wrote during that transition was supposed to highlight the renovations at the retreat center where I landed, but I now see it was really about the renovations God was making in me.  The title says it all:  “Behold, I am doing something new… do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19).

Perhaps God is doing something new in your life as well. This week, ask yourself:

• Where is God inviting me to rediscover my true identity?
• Who is God calling me to connect with more deeply?
• What mission is God placing before me today?

May you let God do something new in you.