St. Ignatius of Loyola’s classic “Spiritual Exercises” has two appendices that are, in my opinion, the most insightful of Ignatius’ many writings. In these appendices, titled “Rules for Discernment of Spirits, Week I” and “Rules for Discernment of Spirits, Week II,” he describes the various spiritual states of being in which we find ourselves. The two most predominant states are spiritual desolation and consolation; a third and more tricky state is “false consolation.” To these I have added a fourth that I call “difficult consolation,” though Ignatius doesn’t have a name for this state nor flesh out its implications.

By spiritual consolation and desolation, Ignatius does not mean “happy” and “sad.” Though one is usually happy in consolation and sad in desolation, it is indeed possible to be sad in spiritual (as opposed to emotional) consolation and happy in spiritual desolation. Spiritual consolation and desolation are not so much about emotions, then, as about one’s relationship with God and one’s progress in living out one’s discipleship in Christ.

A person in spiritual consolation feels close to God, united with God, in sync with God, while someone in desolation feels as though God is distant, unapproachable, incomprehensible. A person in spiritual consolation feels great desire for faith, hope and love, while a person in desolation feels lethargic, apathetic, hopeless, ungenerous, unmotivated to do good, or perhaps is tempted to lash out or do something rash and sinful.

Teasing Out Some Nuances

It’s easy to see how a person in consolation, feeling close to God and inspired to do good, will usually feel good, while a person in desolation, feeling distant from God and uninspired, will usually feel sad or angry. But isn’t it true that sometimes we think that we’re in a “great space” in the spiritual life and believe we are doing God’s will only to find out, after the fact, that we have been deceiving ourselves?

For example, a priest might feel inspired to work all day on the budget when God would have him spend at least some of the day working on his upcoming Sunday homily. He might feel joyful and confident as he spends all day interacting with the students and teachers of the parochial school, but then does not take time out of his day for prayer. He might feel great about emptying his email inbox, while the homebound of his parish are longing to get a visit from the pastor. Ignatius calls times like these — when we believe we are close to God and doing God’s work but are actually misguided — “false consolation.”

Isn’t it also true that we have days when we might be feeling sad, upset or a little bored, but are still faithful to God and to our ministry? For example, imagine a priest in mourning over the recent loss of his mother but who nevertheless feels that God is close to him and who still feels a stirring in his heart to serve his parishioners well. Such a person would be in spiritual consolation — feeling God’s nearness and great desires for faith, hope and love — even though he is feeling sad and lonesome for his mom. Or imagine a priest who is going through a dry spell in his personal prayer but whose faith is steadfast and unwavering; hence, he stays faithful to his calling to prayer and feels motivated for ministry.

Unfortunately, Ignatius has no name for such a state when one might be legitimately struggling interiorly but nonetheless is faithful to God and motivated to serve. Such times are so frequent in our lives that I believe we need a name for such an experience. I have taken to calling this state “difficult consolation.” It is a state in which one doesn’t have the normal feelings of joy, energy and inspiration, but is nonetheless faithful and loving.

So, if one accepts my addition to the three described by Ignatius, we generally find ourselves in one of four states of being: consolation, desolation, false consolation and difficult consolation. We can use this schema to help ourselves personally in self-reflection, spiritual growth and decision-making. We can also use it in our ministry by helping others to self-reflect, to articulate what’s going on inside them and to make good decisions based on God’s will for them.

Start with Yourself

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye” (Mt 7:4-5).

No one can help others in their relationships with God well if he, himself, isn’t interiorly healthy. Discernment of spirits can be a powerful tool for helping a priest in his own self-reflection and prayer in order to be the apostle he is called to be.

He could prayerfully consider on a regular basis:

• At this very moment, which of the four states am I in?

• Backing up for a more expansive view, which state have I been in in general this past month, year or season?

• What are the causes, roots and reasons that have led me to this state of being?

• How might I turn over my current state to God? In gratitude? Supplication? Joy? Repentance? Wonder? Curiosity?

• How might God be responding to me in all of this? What might God be calling me to do about it?

If You Find Yourself in Desolation

Ignatius recommends a person in desolation refrain from making any unnecessary big decisions. He cautions that “the evil spirit guides and counsels” a person in desolation and therefore will cloud his judgment.

We all know this from personal experience. When we are not our best selves, we tend to make poor decisions. As priests in desolation, we might be tempted to finally “tell off” that irritating parishioner or email the bishop and tell him what we really think about this or that. We might be inclined to respond harshly to our staff about something that’s been bothering us or rashly ask to be transferred to a different parish.

In prayer, then, speak to the Lord about your temptations to do something rash. Ask God to help you “hold the line” and wait on any dramatic moves until you’re out of this desolation.

Ignatius recommends that the one thing we might change during desolation is our frequency and length of prayer. Oftentimes during desolation, we’re in no mood to pray. Ignatius recommends we double-down on our prayer, knowing that we need God’s grace more than ever.

Ignatius was always kind and gentle with those in desolation. If you are in a difficult interior state, consider how you might be especially loving to yourself: Might you call on your friends, spiritual directors or a good therapist for support? If you’re feeling lethargic, how might you gently rouse yourself to get moving? If your desolation is leading to workaholism, how might you healthily relax a bit more than usual? These are all good questions to explore with God in  personal prayer.

If You Find Yourself in Difficult Consolation

This is the state wherein you are faithful, steadfast and loving despite feeling emotionally down. Much of the advice above would apply to this state as well. Hold off on big changes or dramatic statements. Turn to God and to others for help and support. Avoid becoming lethargic, but also avoid frenetic workaholism.

The virtue we need to pray for while in difficult consolation is perseverance. In this difficult time, thank God that you have not given up yet or become hopeless. In prayer, you might imagine what giving up would look like, and then ask God to keep you strong to avoid that scenario. You might list concrete things that you are doing or could do that are healthy and faithful to your calling.

If You Find Yourself in Consolation

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!” sang Mary. Our first calling in consolation is to rejoice, relish and give thanks. Humans, in our best state, naturally sing God’s praises. We answer Paul’s clarion call: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). With the psalmist, we gratefully acknowledge that God’s goodness and mercy will pursue us all the days of our life (Ps 23:6).

Nonetheless, Ignatius would not have us rest on our laurels during consolation. On the contrary, as gentle as he was on those in desolation, so was he tough on those in consolation. Why? Because he believed that we should push ourselves while we have the wind behind our back. He might agree with St. Benedict, who said, “Run while you have the light” (The Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue). How might you roll up the sleeves of your soul and do some good spiritual work while in consolation?

First, in the words of Ignatius, “When one enjoys consolation, let him consider how he will conduct himself during the time of ensuing desolation.” So, when in consolation, prepare for desolation. You might consider, in prayer, what it looks like when you are not your best self and are in desolation. What are your unhealthy thoughts and behaviors during those times? How might you, at this good moment of consolation, work on these? For example, you might discover that you get angry and harsh when you’re in desolation. Pray about how you might dispose yourself to God’s gift of patience and gentleness. Or, you might discover that you get despondent and self-pitying in desolation. Commit yourself to buck up and act with bold love and self-sacrifice the next time desolation comes around.

A priest in consolation might prayerfully consider:

• What vices arise when I’m in desolation?

• What virtues might God be offering me to counteract those vices?

• How might I pray for those virtues? How might I actively work on receiving them?

Second, during consolation, push yourself to make tough decisions and to take bold action. For example, consider a pastor’s sad but sometimes unavoidable task of letting go an employee who is not working out. Unhealthy employers often fire an employee when he or she is fed up with the person’s poor performance. But this “fed up” time — that is, desolation — is not the right moment to act. Wait instead until you’re in a better spiritual space — in consolation — to discern exactly what to do and how to do it. Though it will likely still be very painful for the employee, there is indeed a loving way to approach this task. However, it is tricky and interiorly costly for the employer; a pastor will need the strength and levelheadedness of consolation to pull it off well.

What about false consolation? False consolation is by definition a state of self-deception. The moment you recognize that you are in false consolation, you are no longer there. You will either be in desolation, kicking yourself for being so naive and immature, or in consolation, relieved to have finally snapped out of it.

Having experienced the helpfulness of Ignatian discernment of spirits in your personal prayer life, you can then turn and put it into practice helping others to discern where they are in the spiritual life and what God might want them to do about it.

FATHER MARK THIBODEAUX, SJ, has served as novice director, spiritual director and high school campus minister for more than 30 years. Currently pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church at Loyola University in New Orleans, he writes regularly on topics of Ignatian spirituality.