Chicago, October 21, 2026
On Wednesday evening, the Orthodox Roundtable for Young Adults met at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago for a talk by V. Rev. Dr. Darko Spasojevic, Dean of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral. The topic, chosen by the young adult leadership, was a question almost everyone asks at some point: What is God’s will, and what does He want from us?
Fr. Darko began with the wrong picture: God as a powerful actor competing for space in the universe, who “needs” things done for Him. He offered a different picture instead. God is the ground of all being, not one more being alongside us, and what moves Him is love that does not grasp or possess, a willingness that the other should simply be. Because God lacks nothing, He does not look at a young adult the way an employer looks at a contractor.
He then turned to discernment. The trap, he said, is treating it like a calculus equation solved under pressure, with frantic analysis and a demand for immediate clarity. Discernment actually happens by being present to the daily, unglamorous responsibilities right in front of us. Faithfulness in the small, concrete encounter today is how the ear is tuned to hear God’s voice tomorrow.
After the talk, participants broke into small groups over refreshments. They shared seasons when they struggled to understand what God wanted from them and what that taught them about trust; what makes it hard to surrender our own plans, especially when His will does not match our wishes; and one change each person felt called to make in their spiritual life.
The Orthodox Roundtable for Young Adults brings together young Orthodox Christians from across Chicago’s parishes for fellowship, formation, and honest conversation. For upcoming gatherings, contact orthodoxroundtable@gmail.com.
