Counsel

Like a self-guiding smart bomb, there is built into our human nature a divinely designed guidance system that may almost be described as a kind of self-guidance system. The Bible refers to it as “the counsel of the heart.” In Sirach 37:13, for instance, it says, “Heed the counsel of your own heart, for no one is more faithful to you than it is. Our own mind sometimes keeps us better informed than seven sentinels.”

The “counsel of the heart” provides a double guidance for us in our daily lives: first, it enables us to really know ourselves, and second, it enables us to be our true selves by bringing our actions into conformity with our intentions. Thomas Merton described this double dynamic of the “counsel of the heart” when he wrote: “We cannot begin to know ourselves until we can see the real reasons why we do the things we do; and we cannot truly be ourselves until our actions correspond to our intentions that are appropriate to our own situation.” In other words, if you find yourself saying, “I don’t know why I did that stupid thing, or made that stupid remark,” then you don’t really know yourself, and your actions reflect that unstable mentality.

Thus, the self-guiding smart bomb that God has implanted in our souls can thus fall away from its divinely planned trajectory. There are hundreds of New Age programs promising self-enlightenment, yet those who try them never really grow in self-knowledge. As Paul says, “They are always being instructed and can never arrive at knowledge of the truth” (2 Tm 3:7). This self-deception occurs in those who don’t consistently trust in God in humility to keep their motives and ideals--and each ensuing action--in conformity with his will.

This will lead to an even deeper form of counsel, the Gift of Counsel (Is 11:2), by which the Holy Spirit inspires us to easily choose the best means to the best end. This exquisite gift is a very advanced sublimation of the virtue of prudence; it enables us to make decisions about everything with alacrity and certainty for the most perfect choices. It operates beyond the great virtue of prudence (see Prv 8:12; Wis 8:7) but even farther above the natural skill of common sense. It affects our decisions about almost everything of importance in our lives, from job choice to determining the number of children to bring into the world, from which subject to major in for college study to the choice of a marriage partner. Imagine the trust you have in God if you have this gift!

This excerpt is from the book Pathways of Trust, by John H. Hampsch,C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.