Saint Teresa pointed out that, “Provided that we don’t give up, the Lord will guide everything for our benefit, even though we may not find someone to teach us.” And Francis de Sales similarly: “when [spiritual direction] is lacking, He can make up for all we need.”

This applies to everything: Jesus will provide spiritual direction if we have none. Don’t give up hope. God’s providence is there – always. That said, spiritual directors have a specific duty as regards obedience, and those being directed have a specific duty as regards obedience, too. But if there is no particular spiritual director, and Jesus is the only “director” we have, what about obedience?

One aspect of obedience is to be ready to listen to the suggestions of all those around us, for by this means Jesus can mediate his will to us and let us, by free initiative, obey our neighbours. Not having a director does not remove this aspect of obedience. Since obedience is a quick school in the virtues, this practice can be recommended: Except when an erroneous will is discerned and our conscience genuinely vetoes it, our neighbour’s will can be an object of this remote, more freely chosen obedience. The words of Saint Francis de Sales for this (much better than mine) are “yielding to the wishes of our neighbour in whatever is not contrary to the commandments of God.”

Saint Catherine of Siena even went so far as to say that such an obedience-unto-all is the heart, the depth, the real meaning of obedience to a spiritual director; that is the virtue of obedience, to subject ourselves to every least creature through God:

She flies all causes that may incline her vice or hinder her perfection. Therefore she annuls her self-will, which is the cause of all her evil, and subjects it to the yoke of holy obedience, not only to the Order and its chief, but to every least creature through God.

Or, as Saint John of Ávila wrote,

If you obey implicitly, you will enjoy great peace and make rapid progress in a short time.

Don’t have a director? Want obedience? Want virtue? It is there, waiting… God always provides. Obey implicitly those around you, annihilate your will so that theirs and God’s may become more easily manifested. God always provides a way. It may not be an easy way, for the Cross is not easy in itself; but it is a way.