For most of his early life, Ignatius of Loyola, didn’t have God on his mind. He was a man’s man dreaming of war and women. But a battle wound changed his life. As he was lying in bed recovering, he noticed spiritual influences evident in the movements of his emotions and desires—or as he put it, the “motions of the soul.” Bedridden and bored, he passed the time by alternating between fantasizing about acts of bravado and romantic exploits and pondering the stories of Jesus and the saints.

Ignatius began to notice that feelings of joy lasted longer after daydreaming about the ministry of Jesus. Sure, it was exciting to imagine himself as a knight seducing a woman, but the exhilaration was short-lived. He knew if he followed that path, he would miss something much more compelling: the very work of God. The emotive response to the thought of following Jesus served as a guidepost for him that led to life-changing decisions. As he paid attention to his emotions, he gained clues about whether he was being pulled toward God or away from God.

Not uncommonly people grow up in faith traditions or family systems that teach suspicion of emotions and desires. “Don’t trust your feelings! They will lead you astray!” The result can be unhealthy suppression of emotions that actually makes it more likely for us to be deceived. Just as pain receptors warn us to pull our hand away from a fire, thereby protecting our body, so also our emotions and desires provide important information about our spiritual well-being. Our emotions can warn us when something is wrong or inspire us to noble heights. Ignoring our emotions puts us at risk of self-harm. In fact, scientific studies have demonstrated that suppressing emotions has a detrimental impact on health.[1]

The spiritual life is not advanced by holding all feelings in suspicion; bringing our emotions and desires into the Light allows us to discern what they are telling us. If we were to personify emotions, we might imagine them flagging us down, waving their arms to get our attention. Once we notice them, it’s important to hold them in the light and ask, “What is each emotion telling me? And is it speaking truth or a lie?” How is it influencing me?

Emotions and desires are closely related to the Ignatian concepts of “consolation” and “desolation.” Consolation is any movement toward what is life-giving and indicative of God’s Spirit. Desolation is any movement away from God and toward destructive outcomes. Importantly, emotions can be helpful flags for these underlying movements. For example, warmth, patience, serenity, and love are from God. Hate, humiliation, and futility are not from God.

But, we should not confuse consolation and desolation with emotions themselves. Consolation and desolation are movements toward God or away from God. We can feel sad and still be moving toward God, as we see with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37–39). Similarly, symptoms may be caused by mental illness. Such depression should not be misinterpreted as one’s fault or as if one is moving away from God. Sometimes our emotions can be the result of physical conditions or brain chemistry. As you learn to discern movements of consolation and desolation, you can distinguish whether an emotion might be a flag of clinical depression or if it is related to spiritual desolation.

Spiritual discernment is not as simple as when you happen to feel “bad” or feel “good.” Noble acts of sacrifice are often difficult, while an illicit affair can feel exciting. The question is whether the movement is taking us toward the things of God or away from the things of God. The value of emotions is that they can help us to detect that underlying movement. As one spiritually matures and practices discernment, these subtler motions become easier to distinguish.

Consider a few examples of consolation and desolation along with possible accompanying thought patterns.

Consolation

  • Joy: This is the day the Lord has made!
  • Hope: Even though things are hard, God will carry me through.
  • Serenity: It is well with my soul.
  • Self-valuing: I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
  • Conviction: I know this is what I am meant to do, and I am willing to count the costs.
  • Self-restraint: I want this, but I desire God’s will more.
    Inner calm and freedom: I can let go.
  • Spirit-filled excitement: I love the good that will come to others because of this.

Desolation

  • Futility: Life is pointless.
  • Hopelessness: Nothing good ever happens or ever will.
  • Restless agitation: Something terrible is going to happen.
  • Self-loathing: I am stupid and worthless.
  • False-guilt: If I don’t do this, I will disappoint God.[2]
  • Lust: I want this and no one is going to stop me.
  • Easy anger: This person owes me.
  • Superficial exhilaration: I love what this does for me regardless of how others are affected.

Yes, some feelings can take us down a wrong path. The old adage is not completely wrong. But it is only half the truth. Our emotions can also indicate we are on the right path. If we are not paying attention, we might miss where the Spirit is quickening our hearts and filling us with a passion for a particular purpose. Instead of distrusting all emotions and desires, the key is to distinguish where certain emotions and desires originate, and how they serve as sign-posts for underlying movements of consolation and desolation. This kind of spiritual discernment can be developed as we practice paying attention, and as we learn to recognize the character and ways of God.

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[1] A study from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Rochester states that ignoring emotions may even increase a person’s chance of premature death. Benjamin Chapman, et. al., “Emotion Suppression and Mortality Risk Over a 12 Year Follow up,” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 75 (2013): 381–385.

[2] The enemy can appear as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:4). A common way this occurs with those in ministry is to create false-guilt that leads to overwork and burnout. For example, a voice of desolation might say, “If you really loved God you would take this on.” But that is not how the Holy Spirit speaks to us. The Spirit will inspire and empower us for the things of God.