How Can We Practice Discernment with the Desert Fathers?

Meditation plays a central role in the lives of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. Cut off from the world in a hostile environment, they were constantly confronted with themselves and with others—especially when living in community—without ever being able to escape, distract themselves, or flee from the harsh reality of the soul. Through meticulous self-observation, driven by a fierce determination to grow closer to God and without any self-indulgence, they developed a deep understanding of the soul—its struggles, its weaknesses, and its temptations—as well as spiritual practices to address them. Fasting, prayer, and mortification are certainly common examples aimed at disciplining the body, but excessive zeal in this area amounts to a lack of discernment. Indeed, it was essential for fathers to exercise discernment in all areas of their lives. This applies to physical practices, but also to spiritual ones. As we saw in a previous article on guarding the heart, let us consider how to discern the thoughts that cross our minds.

What Is Discernment According to the Church Fathers?

The Ecumenical Translation of the Bible defines discernment as “the virtue of prudence, intelligence, and practical reason.” Essentially, it is the ability to distinguish between what comes from God and what comes from the devil or the ego. Discernment allows us to distinguish what is good and beneficial for the soul from what is evil or deceptive. It helps us navigate the temptations and distractions of the world while remaining faithful to the divine will. Discernment involves honest self-examination and a deep humility that acknowledges one’s own weaknesses and the need for divine grace. This virtue is often compared to an inner light that illuminates the soul’s path, guiding choices and actions toward holiness and union with God. For the Fathers, discernment was a daily practice that required vigilance, constant prayer, and total dependence on God’s wisdom.

In order to discern, among the thoughts that arise in our hearts, those that truly come from the good spirit from those that proceed from the evil one, the Fathers propose some rules of discernment that are still relevant today: whatever leaves the soul peaceful, serene, humble, and joyful, without any impatience, stiffness, or bitterness, certainly comes from the good spirit; on the contrary, turmoil, rigidity, bitterness, bitter zeal, unhealthy sadness, impatience, and an overactive imagination are the common signs that reveal delusion and the hold of the ego. Saint Anthony, the father of the Fathers, affirms that true discernment is a free gift from God. He adds:“Some have worn out their bodies through asceticism, but, having lacked discernment, they have strayed from God.” Since discernment is a gift from God, thinking that one is capable of discerning what is good for oneself better than others is the most fundamental obstacle to the spiritual life.

The essence of discernment lies in the quality of one’s observation of one’s thoughts, as John Cassian notes: “Discernment of thoughts will be reflected in attention to the quality of those thoughts.” However, as we have said, it is also through observing the consequences of this or that thought, of this or that act, that we learn to discern what comes from God and what comes from the devil.

The goal, as always with the Church Fathers, is to live an authentic and fulfilling spiritual life, as close to God as possible.

How can we practice discernment today?

Here are a few guidelines for practicing discernment today, to be followed according to our abilities:

• Spiritual direction is essential for helping us refine our own discernment and avoid spiritual errors
• Be vigilant about your thoughts, feelings, and emotions by guarding your heart
• Clear your mind, free yourself from your passions so that you can make an objective judgment based on rational arguments,
• Discernment requires an understanding of the hierarchy of values and priorities.
• Detach from everything that enslaves us; know how to remain in silence; do not react impulsively or in the heat of the moment.
• Trust in God; surrender to His judgment.

To discern is to be truly free, delivered from the passions that torment our souls, and finally able to do God’s will.