The Single Litmus Test for All Decisions

Monk Mindset for Living Well

Monk Mindset 7

Discern Carefully, Commit Confidently: Making Decisions

Reflection on the Monk Mindset & Quote

Discernment is more than decision-making. It’s the art of spiritual perception, learning to see with the eyes of the soul. The word comes from the Latin discernere, meaning to separate or sift. Discernment is the quiet work of sorting through noise to hear the whisper of truth.

It can seem like a rare gift, reserved for saints or the deeply mature. But in truth, we all practice discernment every day. Every time we choose one thing over another, we are shaping the direction of our lives. The real question is not whether we discern, but how well we do it.

To discern well, we need a clear sense of purpose. For St. Ignatius, that purpose was to deepen the life of God within. Anything that did not point toward this end goal therefore does not promote our flourishing and can even be a total distraction. Things like success, comfort, pleasure, or reputation that seem to satisfy in the moment, have the potential to distract us from our true purpose if we seek them as an end unto themselves. 

When you read this, you kinda know that these things can’t bring you true satisfaction. Yet, we chase them anyway, don’t we? Why?

Clarity begins with self-knowledge. Not just knowing our strengths and preferences, but knowing what we love, what wounds we carry, and what we long for. Discernment grows more than anywhere else in silence, in prayer, and in patient reflection.

Put It Into Practice This Week

Sit in silence for 3 minutes and gaze within. 

What is the greatest center of gravity pulling you from who you yearn to be? Is it craving recognition from others? A certain pleasure? Need for control? Whatever it is, look at it for a moment. 

Now, identify a decision you’ve made recently based on this false reality. How does it feel?

Now, replay in your mind what it would look like to make that same decision based on the goal of deepening the life of God within you. Listen to how this feels within.

The next time you feel pulled to make a decision that distracts from your true purpose, remember this exercise and seek the grace to decide in favor of love and deepening of true life.

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