Thank you for your response!

St. Francis de Sales says that once we have found someone trustworthy we should “go on simply, humbly and trustfully.” Reaching a point of knowing through discernment that someone is trustworthy might of course take a bit of time.

In an article on seeking spiritual direction authored by Fr. John Bartunek, LC he suggests:

Having a spiritual director is like having a coach: they keep us objective and accountable, warn us of pitfalls, encourage us when we feel weak or discouraged, help clarify confusions and doubts, and make sure we are working intelligently in our efforts to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ more each day. Seeing our lives from an outside, objective source is a great way to know ourselves better so as to better ourselves more quickly and efficiently . . . If you are thinking of someone who might be a good spiritual director, seek a one-on-one meeting (that can be in or outside of confession), ask him about your problems and needs. Are his answers prayerful ones? Do they bring peace? Is there anything that doesn’t seem to chime with Catholic morals and doctrine? Does he recommend prayer and greater self-discipline or self-denial? Does he push you towards holiness? When you leave, do you feel challenged towards being more generous with Christ? . . . From the point of view of the Holy Spirit, spiritual direction is a cause of great joy, because it gives him more room to work. God understands human nature — after all, he invented it. And so, he understands how much we need human companionship in our spiritual journey. When St. Paul had his life-changing vision on the road to Damascus, the Lord said to him, 'Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do' (Acts 9:6). Sure enough, God sent Ananias to visit St. Paul on Straight Street, and Ananias began to help St. Paul understand what God was doing in his life and how he should respond. That’s how Jesus does things, because that’s how we need him to do things. And so, when someone takes the humble step of faith to receive guidance from a spiritual director, the Holy Spirit rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. (Published on www.spiritualdirection.com on July 9, 2009)

Additional note: The book of Tobit in the Bible, as referenced in Chapter 4 from the Introduction to the Devout Life, is often not a commonly read book of the Bible, but is a delightful story of God’s providence. It is well worth adding to your soon-to-be-read list if you have not already read it.