Do you think all spiritual "feelings" are prompts from God?

[DBT]

We don’t have to analyze where this idea comes from.

Very good comments, Inlight!

I am struck how often our human nature comes into play in these matters . . . our need to analyze. We should probably say it one more time: inspiration and prompts to spontaneous acts of love are all about intuition . . . not introspection. It doesn’t matter whether they come from God or our own good conscience . . . for they are one and the same, really. After all, how many times have we heard the saints say something along the lines of “all my good thoughts and desires come from You . . . for You put them there.” IMO at least, thinking in these matters actually stiffles the spirit . . . it’s paralysis by analysis.

At the risk of getting too personal, let me give one real life example where this paralysis by analysis occurred to me . . .

Not long ago I was with a group of people who were praying the Liturgy of the Hours together. We had a couple of visitors. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of these visitors sitting by himself. He was a little unsure of things and noticeably uncomfortable being on his own with a group of strangers. He also didn’t have a breviary so it was very likely things would get really awkward for him once we began praying the office.

All this recognition and understanding occurred to me in just a blink of the eye . . . a nano second, really. And I just “knew” I should go over by him to share my book and help him along.

But I hesitated and didn’t respond to that inner prompt. You see, just after this initial inspiration occurred, another thought popped into my mind that took a deep hold on me . . . to stay put and not draw attention to myself by getting up. So I sat . . . for 5 seconds or so . . . that seemed like an eternity. I actually started to sweat.

In the end, this moment ended in just another blink of the eye. I did what I should have done in the first place had I been more docile and receptive . . . I went over and joined him. Fortunately, for I am a very weak soul in these matters, I was given immediate confirmation and consolation - demonstrated by his immense gratitude.

So the moral in all of this seems pretty simple to me. God does indeed give an infinite number of opportunities like this to each and everyone of us . . . in all the moments of our day. However, two problems seem to plague us. First, we “tune out” what is happening all around us and we just fail to see the opportunities as they are being presented . . . how easy it could have been to just be oblivious to that visitor. Or second, we do happen to notice, but snuff out the opportunity by thinking about it . . . like almost happened. Either way the moment is lost . . . forever.

Dave.

 

[InLight247]

At the risk of getting too personal, let me give one real life example where this paralysis by analysis occurred to me . . .

Not long ago I was with a group of people who were praying the Liturgy of the Hours together. We had a couple of visitors. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of these visitors sitting by himself. He was a little unsure of things and noticeably uncomfortable being on his own with a group of strangers. He also didn’t have a breviary so it was very likely things would get really awkward for him once we began praying the office.

All this recognition and understanding occurred to me in just a blink of the eye . . . a nano second, really. And I just “knew” I should go over by him to share my book and help him along.

But I hesitated and didn’t respond to that inner prompt. You see, just after this initial inspiration occurred, another thought popped into my mind that took a deep hold on me . . . to stay put and not draw attention to myself by getting up. So I sat . . . for 5 seconds or so . . . that seemed like an eternity. I actually started to sweat.

In the end, this moment ended in just another blink of the eye. I did what I should have done in the first place had I been more docile and receptive . . . I went over and joined him. Fortunately, for I am a very weak soul in these matters, I was given immediate confirmation and consolation - demonstrated by his immense gratitude.

What a good testimony and a good deed!
No, it is not too personal at all. Genuine personal testimony is the best!

So the moral in all of this seems pretty simple to me. God does indeed give an infinite number of opportunities like this to each and everyone of us . . . in all the moments of our day. However, two problems seem to plague us. First, we “tune out” what is happening all around us and we just fail to see the opportunities as they are being presented . . . how easy it could have been to just be oblivious to that visitor. Or second, we do happen to notice, but snuff out the opportunity by thinking about it . . . like almost happened. Either way the moment is lost . . . forever.
Dave.

How true!

I have learned to “be obedient just in case”. What I mean is if I were not sure a good message or a good idea is from God or from me, I will do it just in case it is from God.

What you said above is we ought to be more sensitive to our surroundings and the needs of others. Also, when we realize there is a need and we can fulfill it, we should do it without hesitation.

It is so true that once a moment is gone, it is gone forever.
Not only for doing good, also for every living moment of our lives.
That’s why we really need to fully utilize our time and fully live every moment. Most people don’t think about how many moments we really have in our lives. People waste their time on meaningless things as if the moments of their lives are endless.

If we can keep in mind that we only have limited moments in lives and once a moment is lost, it is lost forever, maybe we will be nicer, be happier, and be more willing to unite our fleeting moments with the Divine in whom the moment is forever.

 

[Joysong]

DBT:

All this recognition and understanding occurred to me in just a blink of the eye . . . a nano second, really. And I just “knew” I should go over by him to share my book and help him along.

But I hesitated and didn’t respond to that inner prompt. You see, just after this initial inspiration occurred, another thought popped into my mind that took a deep hold on me . . . to stay put and not draw attention to myself by getting up.

Oh my goodness, Dave, you struck a chord of remembrance! Do you remember the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius? He spoke about opposite spirits. When we are oriented toward God, it is God who speaks first and the devil tries to thwart the inspiration with a counter attack. When we are oriented toward sin, it is the devil who speaks first, and God who sends inspiration to counter his evil design. I think Ignatius called it ‘hard buy, soft sell.’

But I’m thinking of a scripture that helped me sort it out when I had these counter-attacks like yours. When God sent Moses to persuade Pharoah to let His people go, we know that Moses performed several miraculous signs. Immediately thereafter, Pharoah’s magicians performed a similar sign which caused Pharoah to remain ‘paralyzed’ … to use your word, and he hardened his heart.

I realized that when these contrary, conflicting inspirations come, and since I am oriented to God, it will be God who speaks first, as St. Ignatius taught. What confused me a number of times was that both of the inspirations seemed equally good , so I couldn’t figure out why they were so opposite to each other. I did test one of them and found that had I acted on the second inspiration, it would have been a real problem spiritually.

I hope this is helpful in some way.

 

[DBT]

Do you remember the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius? He spoke about opposite spirits. When we are oriented toward God, it is God who speaks first and the devil tries to thwart the inspiration with a counter attack. When we are oriented toward sin, it is the devil who speaks first, and God who sends inspiration to counter his evil design. I think Ignatius called it 'hard buy, soft sell.

Hi Carole! Thanks, I didn’t know this teaching . . . but it makes perfect sense! Good to know there’s a technical name for it

What confused me a number of times was that both of the inspirations seemed equally good

And that, I think, is what made those 5 seconds of deliberation a real agony. Does charity dictate I help out when I become “aware” of an opportunity? Or is it humility to pass on a moment like this if it meant people would see me do it? Several years ago, you might recall, you and I had a lengthy discussion about St. Therese and her “hiddeness.” I still struggle, I think, on what what that really means . . . and do I distort its true meaning in my feeble attempts to emulate her. So perhaps this was one of these counter inspirations . . . designed to trip me up on my own uncertainty.

Very helpful as always, Carole!

Dave

 

[DBT]

Do you remember the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius? He spoke about opposite spirits. When we are oriented toward God, it is God who speaks first and the devil tries to thwart the inspiration with a counter attack. When we are oriented toward sin, it is the devil who speaks first, and God who sends inspiration to counter his evil design.

It just occurred to me that several posters have mentioned St. Ignatius. Maybe, if you have a few moments, you could share some more of his teaching on the matters being discussed?

Dave

 

[InLight247]

Does charity dictate I help out when I become “aware” of an opportunity? Or is it humility to pass on a moment like this if it meant people would see me do it?

It didn’t seem you became aware of an “opportunity”. It was more likely you became aware of another’s need. And passing on a moment like this in order not to be seen by people is probably what the opposite spirit wants. When we are called to fulfill a real need, our obedience is our humility. “Hiddeness” has to be hidden at that moment, that’s my humble opinion.

 

[Joysong]

DBT:

It just occurred to me that several posters have mentioned St. Ignatius. Maybe, if you have a few moments, you could share some more of his teaching on the matters being discussed?

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the invitation to share from our wonderful saint’s writings. I spent much time in his book since he was so excellent a master on discernment of spirits, and you know well how difficult this can be for a person who is serious about their interior life.

I am copying article #335, entitled, “Hard Sell and Soft Sell.”

By opposite entries, various hints and cues for good or evil come into the minds and hearts of those who are making progress in the Paschal Mystery. Promptings which head toward a good objective come into play as softly, gently, and quietly as a drop of water soaking into a damp sponge. But an evil suggestion or impulse enters importunately on the scene like a noisy downpour of rain on the street.

And the opposite is true of those whose spiritual life is presently degenerating. The obvious reason for this is the similarity—or difference—between our own mentality or attitude and the suggestion or impulse itself. An influence contrary to our present disposition will be disregarded unless it attracts our attention by loud noise or stirs up our deepest cravings. However, if it finds us already oriented in its direction, it comes in like a man walking through an open door into his own house.

I think you would also enjoy this wise admonition of his when you are virtuously inclined to remain hidden. Sometimes, we need to adjust our thinking in view of the greater good of another, rather than our greater good. A thought just came, that St. Teresa, having received so many sublime interior graces in contemplation, said she would gladly give them all up in pure active service to God and neighbor. But this can be a temptation, as well, if one is called to a contemplative life. Discernment is EVERYTHING.

Sixth Note. The sixth: When such good soul wants to speak or do something within the Church, within the understanding of our Superiors, and which should be for the glory of God our Lord, and there comes to him a thought or temptation from without that he should neither say nor do that thing – bringing to him apparent reasons of vainglory or of another thing, etc., – then he ought to raise his understanding to his Creator and Lord, and if he sees that it is His due service, or at the least not contrary to it, he ought to act diametrically against such temptation, according to St. Bernard, answering the same: “Neither for thee did I begin, nor for thee will I stop.”

BTW, St. Bernard’s feast is today!

I just had another thought, from St. Faustina’s Diary. Our Lord cautions her about the importance of community. Hiddenness would not be a virtue in this matter, as I understand it.

553 But I want to speak immediately of a second rule; that is, speech. Keeping silent when one ought to speak is an imperfection and sometimes even a sin. And so, let all the sisters take part in recreation, and the superior should not dispense them from this except for a matter of great importance. Recreation is an opportunity for getting to know one another. Let each sister speak her mind in all simplicity for the edification of the others and not in a spirit of superiority nor, God forbid, in a quarrelsome manner, for that would not be in keeping with perfection and the spirit of our vocation, which should be especially characterized by love.

 

[DBT]

InLight247:

It didn’t seem you became aware of an “opportunity”. It was more likely you became aware of another’s need

Joysong:

Sometimes, we need to adjust our thinking in view of the greater good of another, rather than our greater good.

Thank you Inlight and Carole for the wise counsel . . . and simultaneous thought

Joysong:

I am copying article #335, entitled, “Hard Sell and Soft Sell.”

By opposite entries, various hints and cues for good or evil come into the minds and hearts of those who are making progress in the Paschal Mystery. Promptings which head toward a good objective come into play as softly, gently, and quietly as a drop of water soaking into a damp sponge. But an evil suggestion or impulse enters importunately on the scene like a noisy downpour of rain on the street

And this is most helpful!

The first prompt was quiet, soothing and interior . . . an instinctive “go now.” The second prompt was noisy just as you say and felt exteriorly in the form of a pounding heart and cold sweat . . . a demanding “stay and remain hidden.”

What a tremendous lesson in just a few seconds! And fortunately the good impulse prevailed. I “see” now, in someway, why the saints say the kingdom is won and lost in moments just like this.

Thanks again, both of you, for all the help . . .
Dave.

 

[brigid12]

It’s interesting you mentioned St. John of the Cross because I was thinking of him as well. What was on my mind is that I’ve often wondered if there might be a contridiction between Fr. de Caussade’s teaching and that of St. John of the Cross.

On the one hand, Fr. de Caussade teaches we should follow any and all promptings that spur us to love more deeply within the context of the duties of our state in life. Similiar to the thoughts of St. Augustine, his basic idea is “Love and do what you will.” St. John of the Cross,on the other hand, might be interpreted (wrongly, IMO) to the other extreme . . . that we should be very hesitant to act on any inspiration . . . because of the difficulties in discernment.

I think the explanation to this is that Fr. de Caussade and St. John of the Cross are talking about different kinds of inspiration. At the risk of over generalizing, St. John’s treatment of this in the Ascent of Mt. Carmel is typically in the context of infused prayer . . . visions, revelations, locutions and so on. Generally speaking (and of course there are exceptions to the rule), we should be very cautious acting upon these types of inspiration.

What Fr. de Caussade is talking about, on the other hand, are more of the every day types of inspiration . . . “I feel drawn to do such and such activity,” " I ought to talk to this person" and so on. If we learn to listen closely, these types of promptings very often are the work of the Holy Spirit . . . but they aren’t a product of infused prayer per se. And I think this is the type of inspiration the OP had in mind.

Not sure if that makes sense?? But, in my mind at least, it’s a huge distinction.

Dave

When we are following prompts that allow us to love more deeply, then we can be assured that they aren’t from the devil (as long as that love shows the respect/reverance that is due, also). Remembering that distinction, I don’t think that there need be a contradiction between them (besides, I agree that they are talking about promptings that happen in different circumstances).

 

[Joysong]

DBT:

What a tremendous lesson in just a few seconds! And fortunately the good impulse prevailed. I “see” now, in someway, why the saints say the kingdom is won and lost in moments just like this.

I think God’s ‘actual grace’ accompanies us in many different ways all throughout our day, similar to those items in your post #10 – that still small voice heard by Elijah. Not all of our good thoughts will be direct inspirations that God would have us act upon with urgency, but just those tiny acts of charity that we silently strew before Him like flower petals as we strive to honor and glorify Him in our daily lives.

I hope nobody gets the idea that if we happen to ‘miss the mark,’ as we will often do, that we have sinned or committed an imperfection; otherwise, we can become quite scrupulous. As I read Mother Teresa’s life in Come Be My Light, I was amazed that she made a vow to refuse God nothing! A vow, under pain of mortal sin!! Now that’s incredible spirituality, so rare as to be unspeakable, and unimitable for the majority of us. We just do our best in all we say and do.

 

[DBT]

I hope nobody gets the idea that if we happen to ‘miss the mark,’ as we will often do, that we have sinned or committed an imperfection; otherwise, we can become quite scrupulous. As I read Mother Teresa’s life in Come Be My Light, I was amazed that she made a vow to refuse God nothing! A vow, under pain of mortal sin!! Now that’s incredible spirituality, so rare as to be unspeakable, and unimitable for the majority of us. We just do our best in all we say and do.

Indeed

I recently heard an explanation of “the just man (OT for saint) falls 7 times a day” applied to these types of matters. We are in good company as “we just do our best in all we say and do.”

Dave.

 

[InLight247]

Indeed

I recently heard an explanation of “the just man (OT for saint) falls 7 times a day” applied to these types of matters. We are in good company as “we just do our best in all we say and do.”

Dave.

Thank you Dave for shedding light on this. I always have difficulty to figure out how the just man falls 7 times a day, this explains it.

 

[Dan_Michael]

A few words at the right time are better then a sermon at the wrong time.

One hits the mark… the other misses it.

Christ just tells us to ‘Love God with all your Heart, all your Mind, and all your Soul… and your Neighbor as yourself’. We are already given the equipment to do that… it is the Love that is needed to fulfill the others.

Gaining that deep-felt Love is the challenge…

 

[DBT]

Gaining that deep-felt Love is the challenge…

Joysong:

BTW, St. Bernard’s feast is today!

Perhaps a few words from the Office of Readings for the feast of St. Bernard can help shed light on the “mindset” of a soul who no doubt recieved an endless stream of these type of inspirations . . .

Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him.

Dave

 

[Dan_Michael]

Yes, I too believe Love is ‘Fluid’.
In keeping with the subject of this thread “spiritual feelings”, Love has to be high on the list. And in the Loving God with your all, saying the Rosary, going to Church (interaction with how the Mind looks at that), would tend to be responding to the Love ‘received’ in the ‘giving back’.
However, to Love our neighbor is not always easy… we tend to be ‘judgmental’ with others (this for too many reasons to count). We look at ‘good and bad’ (that apple in the garden of Eden), and loose the love for all Gods creations, other people included. It seems to come down to how we Love ourselves Being how we Love others… at that instance. Meaning, if I feel loving, my critical side is put to rest; if under more stress, it wakes up. So Love is give and take, if you have you give, if not, you need some. How do you go about recovering that Love?
Again yes, going to Church or saying the Rosary or reading an inspiration or a walk in the woods or playing with a pet or just being with a friend can do it. A Heart to Heart with our Creator does it too.
So, to class a feeling ‘spiritual’, by the very classification, and what these feelings are guiding us to do (Love of God or Neighbor) have to be from the Source of Love… which we are in need of.
As DBT quoted: “Loves profit lies in it’s practice”. It has to flow out-ward in order to flow in-ward.

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

The Question was asked how can we know which prompts were from God and which were not?

In many cases, we truly can not know.

Read Listening to God

Any prompt that leads us to do Good and has no Evil means, we should listen to regardless of it source unless doing it means that a greater Good goes undone.

Any prompt that leads us to do Evil or has Evil means, we should ignore.

 

[DBT]

The Question was asked how can we know which prompts were from God and which were not?

In many cases, we truly can not know.

Ok, for better or worse I’m still thinking on this so I’ll take one more stab at it. This is just speculation on my part so I’ll gladly stand corrected if things are different than what I’m trying to describe

I think the way we can tell is by how we perceive in our mind the type of thoughts, inspirations and prompts discussed in this thread.

If the thought toward love of God or neighbor is the product of our own reasoning - for example, “I ought to do this or I ought do that” - then we are the prime driver. Our well formed conscious is actively cooperating with the grace toward doing good that has been given us.

However, let’s say we are simply going about our business and a thought just pops into our mind toward some good - independent of what we were doing at the time - then, IMO, the inspiration was passively recieved . . . and thus a gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is a critical distinction to me . . . the former is active, the latter is passive . . . the very same criteria by which we describe infused prayer: contemplation. And the latter is the type of inspiration I’ve had in mind throughout all my posts.

I would also say that probably all of us here have had experience with both types of inspiration I’m describing - the active and passive - which might help explain the different angles we’re coming from in our respective posts.

Hope this helps . . .
Dave

 

[DBT]

Well it seems, if I understand the following correctly, the last post wasn’t speculation afterall. Following is a much more theological description of what I tried to say from Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, one of the finest spiritual minds of the 20th century . . .
Three Ages of the Interior Life:

…but to understand it thus, we must see clearly the specific difference between the human mode in which even the infused virtues operate and the superhuman mode of operation of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the acts of which have precisely as their immediate rule the illumination and special inspiration of the interior Master. This inspiration is an elevated form of actual operating grace, which moves us to act freely above all discursive deliberation. It is thus notably superior to common actual grace, called cooperating grace, which moves us according to discursive deliberation to place a given act of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice or of some other virtue.

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange then proceeds with two examples, the human and superhuman modes, that roughly correspond to the examples I gave in the last post:
Three Ages of the Interior Life:

For example, I see that the customary hour to say my Office has come; I move myself then (aided by common actual grace, which in this case is cooperating) to perform the acts of faith and religion proper to the recitation of this prayer.

On the contrary, in the midst of a difficult, absorbing study, I suddenly receive, without expecting it, a special inspiration to pray, either for a better comprehension of what I am reading or for a friend who must need prayers at that moment.

In the first case, Christian prudence inclines me to say the Divine Office and to perform the acts of faith and religion that this liturgical prayer demands; in the second, the special inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which is above deliberation, inclines me to pray.

Dave

 

[Joysong]

Thanks, Dave

This was an excellent reference and easy to understand in light of our topic!

 

[beckycmarie]

+1

Dave, I am really enjoying reading that book online. The chapter on Fidelity to Grace is awesome and fits well with the theme of this thread.