The Holy Spirit can help us to discern among our choices, which may sometimes be leading to preordained destinies.

Below this intoduction are a set of checklists to help you to make choices. In conclusion, there is a brief selection from the writing of Lady Julian of Norwich.

The first thing to determine is if you are responding to the physical senations we call gut reactions. Some people live their lives by their gut reactions. Other people never trust their own, or anyone else's, gut reactions.

Your intellect, experience and wisdom will warn you if the sensations you feel are urging you to do something that is inappropriate, harmful, or dangerous. These reactions to choices sometimes come from our outdated evolutionary programming. Given a chance to think, your rational mind will try to stop you from making bad choices.

Our evolutionary instincts have been getting us in trouble since we left the Ice Age caves. Our worst instinct, is for competition to the death, winner take all, in genocidal wars that now have us in danger of self-extermination.

Too often we cannot resist the emotional sensations that create a mental urge to do something that would be against our rational judgement. We must have discernment about these urgings, and the self-control to make and abide by our rational choices.

THE SETTING FOR MAKING DISCERNMENTS

We need the opportunity to make considered discernment before every important choice. This is best done in a place of quiet solitude in communion with the Holy Spirit.

CHECKLISTS TO HELP YOU CONSIDER CHOICES

DO WE WANT TO GET SOMETHING
~ because it is a well-reasoned need?
~ because of an ad or influencer?
~ because of envying what someone else has?
~ to make a gift of it to someone?
~ to benefit society?
~ because we are inspired to get this for some good purpose?


DO WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING
~ just because we enjoy doing it?
~ because it will benefit ourself?
~ because it will make a social impression?
~ because it will make someone else happy?
~ because it will make many other people happy?
~ because it will benefit a friend?
~ because it will benefit other people?
~ because we are inspired to do it for a good reason?