Feelings

Discernment Practice 5: Discernment through Feelings

Our feelings can be powerful indicators of what is stirring in our hearts and minds as we face a decision.

This practice invites you to pay attention to your emotional responses to the options before you, helping you discern whether a particular path is leading you toward consolation (a sense of peace and alignment) or desolation (a sense of discomfort or unrest).

Remember that while feelings are valuable in discernment, they are one piece of the puzzle, balanced by other forms of reflection.

Preparation for Prayer:

• Become aware of God’s presence.

•  Begin by resting in the awareness of God’s loving care for you. 

Reviewing Your Options:

• Review all the options you are considering.

• Bring each option you are discerning into your mind.

• Take note of all the feelings that arise in response to each choice. 

• Record these feelings in your journal, being sure to include all emotions, even those that may seem negative. Trust that each feeling has something to teach you.

Reflection Question:

• What feelings arise as I consider each option?

• Are there any feelings that surprise me or seem difficult to understand?

Evaluating Based on Feelings:

• Consider your feelings as you imagine making a decision.

• If you were to make a decision purely based on your feelings, which option would you be inclined toward?

• How do you feel about that possibility? 

• Record these feelings in your journal and reflect on them.

Reflection Question:

• Do my feelings about a particular option make me feel at peace or unsettled?

Assessing the Tentative Decision:

• Sit with your tentative decision.

•  Imagine making the choice that seems to be forming. Sit with it and notice the feelings that accompany it. 

• Does this decision produce consolation (peace, faith, hope, love, rightness) or desolation (restlessness, discouragement, heaviness, disconnection)? Be aware of the depth of these feelings. 

• Even if negative feelings arise, notice whether the sense of rightness or peace feels deeper.

 Reflection Question:

• Does the decision I’m considering bring me a sense of peace, hope, or rightness?

• Or does it evoke feelings of restlessness, discomfort, or unease?

• How do I differentiate between surface-level discomfort and deeper feelings of desolation or consolation?

Revising Your Decision:

• Based on the sense of consolation or desolation that you’ve felt, revise your tentative decision.

• Notice how these inner movements—whether they lead to peace or unrest—affect your choice.

• Write down your tentative decision in your journal and reflect on how your feelings have shaped it.

Reflection Question:

• What insights have I gained about my choice through this process of feeling?

• Do I feel ready to make a decision, or do I need more time to sit with it?