Questions for Discernment

It can often feel overwhelming to try to make an important life decision. The spiritual practice of discernment is a means to be attentive to divine wisdom as you make hard decisions.

Below are two sets of questions to accompany you, perhaps alongside a trusted journal or friend, through a season of discernment.

For starters, here are a series of four questions to reflect on, from Pete Scazzero:

• Am I afraid to ask God what his will is in the situation?
• Am I comfortable exploring hidden motivations in the situation?
• Am I avoiding getting counsel from mature others in case they disagree with me?
• Am I too busy and distracted to listen to the voice of God?

For a more extended discernment exercise, consider this longer set of questions from Sustainable Faith:

• Put before your mind the choice you need to make. Clarify it in writing, stating it in straightforward and concise language.
• Write out a prayer of commitment to God’s will. Pray it and then sit in quiet for a moment.
• Pay attention to any initial leanings you have, one way or the other, that might influence your ability to know and choose God’s will. Write these down.
• Ask God to reveal to you his will and move your heart in that direction. Be still. Record anything you notice.
• Now consider all the aspects of this decision. What values help you recognize the best and most fruitful choice? Write out those values. If helpful, create a “mind map” of the values and any other variables that play into the decision.
• Make a list of the advantages/ benefits and disadvantages/ dangers related to each option.
• Consider how your decision in either direction affects “the poor” — those who are literally poor and those who have little say or power in the decision but will be affected by it (e.g., children, relatives, etc.)
• Review the information you’ve gathered. Now decide which alternative appears to be more reasonable. Write it down and explain why this option seems best.
• Finally, weigh the alternative you’ve now chosen. Weight it with your heart. How does it feel to you? Bring it before God in prayer and ask for him to confirm the rightness of it. Record your response.