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I guess I can see myself as a nun, but I prayed that God would give me a desire for the religious life if he wanted that for me. But I still want to get married. I'm afraid that it will never happen, though, and he'll want me to be a nun. Any advice?

Could you imagine a husband who demanded that a woman marry him, even though she really wasn't interested? Or, can you imagine a woman who agreed to marry a friend as long as she didn't find anyone better by the time she was 40? Not very romantic. Thankfully, God doesn't operate like this. He is a lover and not a hostage-taker. In fact, the only reason he would want you to enter the religious life is if you desired it with all of your heart. I can't speak for God, but I would imagine that he isn't more pleased when a woman becomes a nun than when one becomes a wife. What delights him is when we do his will, regardless of what it is. Both vocations are holy callings from him.

Although this may sound strange, I think it's good if you feel a tug toward both vocations. It's natural and healthy to have a desire for the married life if God is calling you to the religious life. In the same way, I think it's healthy to feel a tug towards the religious life if you're called to the married life. Any good Catholic is going to see something attractive (at least to some extent) in both vocations, so it is not always best to let your feelings determine your vocation. They do play a role, but they can get pretty confusing at times.

Perhaps something to consider is that maybe God does not want you to know your vocation right now. Living in God's will does not mean that you'll always know the future. In fact, if he's a "Lamp unto our feet," as the Psalm says, this seems to imply that he may simply guide us one step at a time. God's will is our hiding place, and he tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Today is where peace is to be found.

God always hears us when we pray. He always answers us: sometimes with a yes, sometimes with a no, and sometimes with "wait." All are answers to prayers, even if they aren't the answer we want right away. Perhaps if he is calling you to marriage, then now is a time when he really wants to teach you about trusting without fear. Perhaps he wants you to offer your sufferings as a prayer for some soul out there who could really use that extra grace right now. Who knows? But I do know that he will wipe every tear from your eye. Cling to him right now, and have peace knowing he has a plan in mind for you (Jer. 29:11-14).