DISCERNMENT WHEN LOST

Discernment when "lost": Have you ever been lost in a place that is totally unfamiliar to you? Ever felt blindsided by something/someone and felt totally confused and asked “where do I go from here”? Ever questioned why awful things seemed to be happening to you? Ever questioned whether God cared, loved you, paid any attention to the “rocks being thrown at you,” the “walls caving in upon you,” the “windows being blown out,” the “electricity" being cut off  and the "lights" being out?

When any of that is happening, we may make choices that are helpful or those that are actually harmful to our well-being and to our moving to a place that re-energizes us, rejuvenates us, a place where again we experience our strength, reclaim our goodness, re-root ourselves in values that provide a strong foundation upon which to continue becoming the person God meant us to become: His ambassador, His friend and confidante, His disciple.

Choices that are helpful to discernment:

Calm down: find a place where you can think clearly

Calm down: find someone who will allow you to talk without putting you down, condemning you, judging you,  or giving you advice; someone who will simply give you support

Look at what is happening/what has happened and name it honestly

Identify how you feel about what has happened

Set new goals, given what has happened; set goal/goals that will rejuvenates you, energizes you

 

Choices that obstruct discernment:

Stirring up the “mucky waters” by asking “What is wrong with me?”

Stirring up the “mucky waters” by looking for blame, by putting others/yourself down, by condemning yourself/others, by judging yourself/others

Refusing to look at what has happened; being dishonest  with yourself/others

Repressing feelings; numbing out so as not to feel

Refusing to set new goals, to take responsibility to set new direction

 

Source: O’Brien, Margaret, OSU, Discovering Your Light: Common Journeys of Young Adults, Resurrection Press, Mineola, NY, 1991, pp. 16-17