What is spiritual discernment?
Discernment is essential, because there are choices to be made in daily life and at various stages of life. In the Christian life, spiritual discernment is crucial for committing one’s life fully to following Christ. It is all the more important because the Christian life is not static, and because we do not always know where the Holy Spirit may lead us (John 3:8). Spiritual discernment helps us make important decisions as we seek to do God’s will in our lives. In this article from Hozana, discover the key things to know about spiritual discernment.
What does it mean to discern from a human perspective?
The dictionary Le Petit Robert defines “discern” in three ways:
To perceive an object or thing distinctly, so as to avoid any confusion
To accurately grasp the nature and value of something
To distinguish between two intermingled things. Discernment is therefore, first and foremost, a fundamental skill for everyone—believer or not—in making good decisions.
How do we exercise discernment from a human perspective?
Discernment from a human perspective involves using one’s reason to make a judgment. This involves weighing the pros and cons of each situation and then making a choice. Here, we will outline three steps in this process of discernment.
Step 1: Do not remain indifferent to the various proposals you receive
In this step, you have several factors to consider. You respond with your emotions, feelings, and everything that makes you who you are.
Step 2: Weigh the proposals, considering their pros and cons
In this step, discernment means weighing each proposal against its pros and cons and listening to our inner feelings—what is happening within you.
Step 3: Make a decision
This final step in discernment based on reason is making a decision using the appropriate means.
What is discernment from a spiritual perspective?
What distinguishes “human discernment” (or discernment based on reason) from “spiritual discernment ” (or discernment guided by the Spirit) is that in the latter case, we orient our lives toward following Christ. This therefore involves paying attention to the inner promptings and movements within us (consolations and desolations).
Spiritual discernment is not about waiting for God to give you a precise instruction that falls from heaven. Rather, it involves seeing how God speaks to you, draws you, and guides you throughout your entire life. This discernment in the Spirit relates to your deepest desires, your inclinations, your abilities, your talents, your work, your relationships, and so on.
Why engage in spiritual discernment?
In the Christian life, there are various reasons for engaging in spiritual discernment and seeking God’s will in one’s life choices, such as:
Discerning your vocation: marriage, consecrated life, etc. Discover ways to discern your vocation in this article.
Discerning whether this is the right person for you: regarding an engagement or marriage, for example (find a prayer for discernment for couples)
Discerning whether to accept a job offer or change careers
Discerning a responsibility that has been offered to you (within the parish or elsewhere)
Discerning how you can respond more fully to the call to holiness
What are the principles of spiritual discernment?
There are a few principles of spiritual discernment that we’ll explore.
Choosing, Renouncing, Acting
Discernment involves making a choice. And so, to choose is at once to prefer, to renounce, and to act. When a man marries a woman, he renounces others—such as, for example, someone he had also considered marrying when he was younger. Or when a man becomes a priest, he renounces marriage, and so on.
Indifference
Good discernment requires a certain degree of indifference. This is what Saint Ignatius reminds us of in his Spiritual Exercises. In the Principle and Foundation, we find the following statement:
“For this reason, it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things, in everything that is left to the freedom of our free will and is not forbidden to it; in such a way that we do not, for our part, desire health more than illness, wealth more than poverty, honor over dishonor, a long life over a short one, and so on for everything else; but that we desire and choose only what leads us more fully to the end for which we were created.”
Discernment can be based on two good options
Spiritual discernment does not always hinge on a choice between right and wrong. There can, of course, be several good options—and thankfully so, so that we do not have to make a decision by default. For example, marriage and consecrated life are two very good options.
Where we will be happiest
We do not choose a vocation by default. Becoming a priest or choosing to marry should not be a “dead-end path” for anyone. God desires human happiness. He does not simply want us to be happy, but as happy as possible. Spiritual discernment therefore involves making a choice in good conscience because we believe that this is the choice that will make us happiest. Finally, it is important to mention that the Spirit of God always leads toward happiness, unlike the evil spirit.
What should we pay attention to in spiritual discernment?
Spiritual discernment requires paying attention to several things, such as:
Internal and external factors
The fact that no one vocation is superior to another
Any form of pressure
Any“private revelation”
People with bad intentions or who lack discernment
Time
To learn more: check out this article.
With Hozana, deepen your union with Christ
Deepen your union with Christ through Hozana to make wise decisions. To help you do this, we recommend several communities, such as:
This community for
This program for
