Priorities and Discernment

Prioritizing around one’s Ultimate Goal in Life: Serving God:A Sixth Attitude Necessary for Discernment of God’s Will--If my primary goal in life is to serve God, then everything I do, every choice I make, needs to lead to that end.   If a choice I am considering—even in the events of everyday life—is not a means of serving God and glorifying Him, then it is off kilter. I need to subordinate everything to this one goal: serving the Lord and loving God with my whole mind, my whole heart, and my whole soul--no fragmented, divided service.  If what I am contemplating does not lead me closer to God, does not foster harmony of my will with the will of God, if I am not at peace with my choice, then that choice needs to be rejected, St. Ignatius cautions.  In his words:  “What we want above all is the ability to respond freely to God, … all other loves for people, places, and things are held in proper perspective by the light and strength of God’s grace….In coming to a decision, only one thing is really important—to seek and to find how God is calling me at this time of my life….God has created me out of love, and my salvation is found in my living out a return of that love (Spiritual Exercises 16, 169,23).

 In the silence of your heart and room, ask God in prayer to open your eyes, mind, heart to see clearly what is motivating you in a choice that you are contemplating. Lay bare your soul before Him. Tell Him what you are contemplating and why you are thinking this way. Share your feelings with the Lord. Do so in writing (that opens the sub- and unconscious mind so that you will see more deeply).  Then switch hands and ask the Lord to respond to you. Just start writing and see what comes to the surface.