Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6

At the risk of sounding overly-simplistic, I’d nontheless like to affirm that there’s a sense in which issues of discernment generally cease to be major ordeals as one’s practice of contemplative spirituality deepens. Through the practice of “being here now in love,” we are led, one step at a time, down the path to the fulfillment of God’s will for our lives.

Of course, it sometimes seems as though there is a fork in the road, which calls for a careful consideration of how we shall direct our next-steps. The future can and does break through into the present moment--sometimes presenting several scenarios at once. Tuning this out in favor of only focusing on the present moment might sound like a virtuous act, but it can also be shirking a real responsibility to make decisions about one’s life and, possibly, one’s family as well.

So what should we do when that happens? How do we discern which of several possible futures we should begin to move toward in this present moment?

That’s where discernment comes in.

Simplest method

The simplest method of discernment when facing several scenarios where important decisions need to be made is to note which of these one feels most peacefully and naturally drawn to. That’s it! If one has been living a good spiritual life, then one may safely trust that this peaceful flow of one’s energy toward a particular option is in union with the Spirit. One need not even be overly-concerned about the possibility of self-deception, here. Years ago I would not have said this, but now I firmly believe it. It's somewhat humbling for an intellectual type like myself to concede that, in the end, we know the best option because it just feels right.

Formal discernment

Of course, it may be that the options are not so easily and simply discerned. What if they all seem to draw one equally, or if one feels strongly about one option for several reasons, but also feels inner caution about it for other reasons? What if this is the case for all the options one is facing?

Then there is the possibility that a double-check on the simple method described above might be desirable, especially in the case of major decisions.

What follows is a summary of principles for discernment from Chapter 14 in Pathways to Serenity. You could read it for yourself in the book, but I am including it below for your convenience.

. . . If you do not really believe that God’s will is your happiness, then it follows that you will look upon discernment with little enthusiasm. It is quite another matter to believe in a good and providential God who is leading you in the optimal unfolding of your personhood.

Discernment, then, is based on the following assumptions:

God is a good God. He wants to give you much more than you want for yourself.
God knows who you are better than you know yourself. God also knows what you need in order to become the person he created you to be better than you know what you need for this.
When you are faced with a number of options, it is entirely possible that some of these options are better for you in terms of your overall human objectives than others.
When you surrender your preferences for different options to God, you become free to discern God’s preference (if any) among these options.

Unless you accept these assumptions (at least on an intellectual level), the guidelines that follow will not make much sense.

The truly great master of the art of discernment was Saint Ignatius of Loyola. His writings on making choices and discerning God’s call have stood the test of time and continue to provide a helpful structure for choosing among options. For this reason the guidelines presented here rely heavily upon the genius of Ignatius.

1. ””When you are making a decision or choice, you are not deliberating about choices which involve sin [wrongdoing] but rather you are considering alternatives which are lawful and good. . ." (Saint Ignatius)

2. It is not necessary to agonize over God’s will in choosing between healthy options in the small affairs of everyday life."Ordinarily there is nothing of such obvious importance in one rather than the other that there is need to go into long deliberation over it. You must proceed in good faith and without making subtle distinctions in such affairs and, as Saint Basil says, do freely what seems good to you, so as not to weary your mind, waste your time, and put yourself in danger of disquiet, scruples, and superstition" (Saint Francis de Sales).

3 . In areas where you have binding commitments (marriage vows, parenting, religious vows, and so forth), "your basic attitude should be that the only choice still called for is the full-hearted gift of self to this state of life" (Saint Ignatius). In other words, every effort must be made to live out the implications of your binding commitments, even if those commitments were made poorly.

4. In areas of life where you have already made decisions (which can be changed) on the basis of God’s call, "your one desire should be to find your continued growth in the way of life you have chosen" (Saint Ignatius).

5. ”If you have come to a poor decision in matters that are changeable, you should try to make a choice in the proper way whether it would be maintaining the same pattern of life or it would demand a change" (Saint Ignatius).

6. If possible, you should avoid making important life decisions during times when you are emotionally upset, for it is likely that you shall then be running away from a problem rather than responding to God’s call.

7. When attempting to discern among a number of options regarding significant lifestyle choices, you should proceed as Saint Ignatius suggests below.

A. First Pattern:
Clearly place before your mind what it is you want to decide about. What are your options?
Attempt to view each option with equal detachment, surrendering personal preferences to God.
Sincerely pray that God will enlighten and draw you in the direction leading to his praise and glory.
List and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the various dimensions of your proposed decision.
Consider now which alternative seems more reasonable. Then decide according to the more weighty motives and not from any selfish or sensual inclination."
Having come to the decision, now turn to God again and ask him to accept and conform it — if it is for his greater service and glory — by giving you a sense of serenity and holy conviction about this decision.

B. Second Pattern: (This is an excellent follow-up on the First Pattern to "objectively" evaluate your decision.)
Since the love of God should motivate your life, you should check yourself to see whether your attachment for the object of choice is solely because of your Creator and Lord.
Imagine yourself in the presence of a person whom you have never met before, but who has sought your help in an attempt to respond better to God’s call. Review what you would tell that person and then observe the advice which you would so readily give to another for whom you want the best.
Ask yourself if at the moment of death you would make the same decision you are making now. Guide yourself by this insight and make your present decision in conformity with it.
See yourself standing before Christ your Judge when this life has ended and talking with him about the decision which you have made at this moment in your life. Choose now the course of action which you feel will give you happiness and joy in the presence of Christ on the Day of Judgment.

There is a big difference between reacting to life and responding to God’s call. In the small self, you spend a lot of time reacting to life; you allow other people and circumstances to greatly influence your behavior. By undertaking a decision-making process such as that outlined above, you become more pro-active, or responsive to God’s call. As with all the other spiritual living skills, right discernment will involve practice and checking matters out with the community. The fruit of this discernment will be fuller growth and deeper serenity — two very good reasons to persist in the struggle to discern God’s call.

Reflection/Discussion/Questions

1. What kinds of binding commitments have you made? How do you feel about living out these commitments in loving persistence? How has this persistence changed you?

2. What kinds of important, nonbinding decisions have you made? How do you feel about continuing to live out these decisions?

3. What kinds of poor decisions have you made? How have they changed you? What have you done to cope with the consequences?

4. What kinds of important lifestyle decisions are you facing at this time in your life? Use the pattern outlines found in this chapter to help you discern God’s call among your perceived options.

5. How do you handle the small decisions in everyday life? Are you sensitive to the movements of selfishness and love in these small decisions? Explain.