Understanding the difference between inspiration that comes from God and a mere suggestion is essential for discerning your true vocation. In the spiritual life, it’s important to recognise what drives you forward and what, on the contrary, could be a distraction from your personal mission
Inspiration: A Profound Impulse from the Holy Spirit
Inspiration is that inner drive that resonates with your most authentic desires, deep aspirations, and talents. It manifests as a kind, encouraging voice inviting you to follow a path that, while often challenging, brings a sense of peace, coherence, and harmony with yourself, with God, and with others.
Inspiration comes from the Holy Spirit. It is nurtured through prayer, reflection, and sincere dialogue with God. It compels you to consider a life of service and dedication, not for personal glory or social conformity, but because you feel it is the path God has prepared for you. This inspiration brings a joy that endures, even in times of difficulty.
Suggestion: An Idea Often Influenced by the Environment
Suggestion, on the other hand, is often the result of external influences, such as social or familial pressures, or personal fears and insecurities. It may appear attractive or offer an easy solution to current problems, but it is not always aligned with your true desires or God’s plan for you. Suggestion can leave you feeling confused, with persistent doubts, and a subtle dissatisfaction that gradually eats away at you.
How to Discern?
To distinguish between inspiration and suggestion, it is crucial to dedicate time to prayer, meditation, and dialogue with trusted spiritual figures, such as spiritual guides or vocational counsellors.
Listening to your heart, to the signs God sends you through life’s events, as well as engaging in prayer, are essential. Remember, God’s call is always in harmony with who you are, your happiness, and your personal fulfilment. If a path seems to lead you towards lasting joy and deep inner peace, even if demanding, it could well be divine inspiration.
A Method from Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint Ignatius of Loyola proposed a powerful exercise for discernment: imagine yourself at the moment of your death and reflect on what you would have liked to accomplish in your life. This exercise helps clarify priorities and distinguish what is truly important from what is superficial. By projecting yourself to that ultimate point of your existence, you can discern the real value of your actions and choices, and see if they resonate with what you wish to leave as your legacy.
Trusting the Holy Spirit
In your search for a vocation, let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. He will help you discern what is right and follow the path God has laid out for you—a unique path that will allow you to give your best to the world. Remember, a true vocation leads you towards deep and lasting joy.
The Example of Saint Ignatius
Before his conversion, Saint Ignatius of Loyola experienced a significant turning point. While bedridden due to illness, he began reading chivalric novels as well as “The Imitation of Christ.” While the novels provided immediate but fleeting pleasure, reading “The Imitation of Christ” brought him deep and lasting joy. This is how he understood the difference between authentic inspiration, which brings enduring joy, and suggestion, which offers only temporary gratification.
A Prayer for Discernment
Lord of wisdom and truth,
In the silence of my heart, where many voices mingle, I seek to discern Your presence. Help me to understand if what I feel is an inspiration that comes from You or simply the fruit of my own desires.
Grant me the discernment to recognise Your will, the clarity to see the path You have prepared for me, and the wisdom to distinguish the signs of Your call. May Your Holy Spirit enlighten, guide, and bring me peace in my quest for truth.
Amen.
