One of the strategies that can be used to discover which road to travel when called to holiness, is discernment. It leads us to an understanding of our motives and, when used regularly, can help us discover our fundamental motivation. When we clearly see what stirs us to action and what directs our choices, we become freer to choose a course of action that is loving rather than self-serving. Discernment is more than voiding the mistakes of the past. It is more than merely repeating the patterns that worked well in the past. It is a process of looking for different, healthier, more growth-producing courses of action and choosing the ones that help us grow in our relationship to God and to other people.
It is not enough to look at one or two similar experiences. One needs to look at a series of them and identify what is common among them. What is common usually is not obvious and often seems to be but a minor factor in the experiences. It may take many years of reflection to identify the hidden operation of a basic fear or the subtle presence of self-indulgence in a life that on the surface seems to be devoted to God and to serving other people.
Once a pattern of acting is clear, our freedom is enhanced. The unconscious power of these patterns is weakened and we are freer to choose among the options open to us. Discernment makes the difference between following blind instinct or unthinking feelings and making responsible choices. The truth that Jesus said makes us free is in great part the truth about ourselves and about our deeper motives.
Frequently, people try to discern the will of God for themselves only when they are faced with an important decision. They look for a sign outside of themselves to point the direction they should take. But when a big decision comes up, it is more helpful to reflect on the patterns we have followed in the myriad small decisions of daily life. From these patterns, the fundamental direction our lives have been taking becomes clear. Then we can more easily decide, in light of the present circumstances and of foreseen consequences, which path to take.
Again, the call to holiness is a call to live a reflective and thoughtful life that is based on a desire to truly be God’s child. It means honestly looking at our lives and determining how best to be like Jesus.