Discernment of Spirits
Went to an excellent talk on Ignatian Spirituality at the Cathedral yesterday, and liked this chart from the handout so much that I typed it up to share with y'all. This definitely all sounds familiar to me. I think I tend to encounter the Bad Spirit when I overthink things, or listen too hard for the Good Spirit when it ain't talking.
Signs of the Good Spirit
Signs of the Bad Spirit
There is a real sense of our own worth-a renewed confidence.
Loss of the sense of our own worth. We are down on ourselves and think and even speak of ourselves in ways we would never dream of speaking about anyone else.
Hope comes alive; we believe Jesus is with us, no matter what. There is a genuine feeling of movement: “It hasn’t got to be like this. I want to do something about it, and I can do something about it.”
Hope is blighted and fades away; the light goes out. There is a feeling of being stuck or trapped, of having nowhere to go or going round in circles, of being down a big, black hole.
Something lifts from us; we feel lighter, liberated. We grow in compassion, and sensitivity to the needs of others.
There is a pervasive sense of heaviness; we feel burdened. We degenerate into cynicism (can’t see any good in anyone) or self-pity.
A questioning that is accompanied by clarity and conviction. We are led to bring our concerns into our relationship with Jesus, and focus on the relationship rather than on the issue. We tell him (even repeatedly!) how the issue affects us.
A questioning that creates anxiety and ends in confusion. We find ourselves mulling constantly over incidents, or giving all our attention to resolving some issue and end up more fragmented and de-energised than when we started.
“It is necessary to suppose that every good Christian is more ready to put a good interpretation on another’s statement than to condemn it as false.” (None of us has a monopoly on the truth.) We are led to let go of our hurts, and are able to pray-“Jesus, give me the attitude to this person you want me to have.”
We are easily led into negative interactions with others that degenerate into mutual recriminations, and “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude. “Some people carry in their hearts the corpses of past relationships, addicted to hurt as a confirmation of identity.”
Awareness of sin always tinged with hope and being led back into a relationship with Jesus, and others.
When we think of our sins and failings, we feel bad about ourselves, and stay there.
Signs of the Good Spirit
Signs of the Bad Spirit
There is a real sense of our own worth-a renewed confidence.
Loss of the sense of our own worth. We are down on ourselves and think and even speak of ourselves in ways we would never dream of speaking about anyone else.
Hope comes alive; we believe Jesus is with us, no matter what. There is a genuine feeling of movement: “It hasn’t got to be like this. I want to do something about it, and I can do something about it.”
Hope is blighted and fades away; the light goes out. There is a feeling of being stuck or trapped, of having nowhere to go or going round in circles, of being down a big, black hole.
Something lifts from us; we feel lighter, liberated. We grow in compassion, and sensitivity to the needs of others.
There is a pervasive sense of heaviness; we feel burdened. We degenerate into cynicism (can’t see any good in anyone) or self-pity.
A questioning that is accompanied by clarity and conviction. We are led to bring our concerns into our relationship with Jesus, and focus on the relationship rather than on the issue. We tell him (even repeatedly!) how the issue affects us.
A questioning that creates anxiety and ends in confusion. We find ourselves mulling constantly over incidents, or giving all our attention to resolving some issue and end up more fragmented and de-energised than when we started.
“It is necessary to suppose that every good Christian is more ready to put a good interpretation on another’s statement than to condemn it as false.” (None of us has a monopoly on the truth.) We are led to let go of our hurts, and are able to pray-“Jesus, give me the attitude to this person you want me to have.”
We are easily led into negative interactions with others that degenerate into mutual recriminations, and “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude. “Some people carry in their hearts the corpses of past relationships, addicted to hurt as a confirmation of identity.”
Awareness of sin always tinged with hope and being led back into a relationship with Jesus, and others.
When we think of our sins and failings, we feel bad about ourselves, and stay there.