The Soldier Who Mistook God's Voice for Restlessness

In 1521, a Basque soldier named Ignatius of Loyola lay in a castle in northern Spain, his right leg shattered by a French cannonball at the Battle of Pamplona. Bored and feverish, he asked for romance novels to pass the time. The only books available were a life of Christ and a collection of saints' biographies.

He read them reluctantly. But as the weeks passed, Ignatius noticed something strange. When he daydreamed about returning to court, impressing noblewomen, and winning military glory, the excitement faded quickly, leaving him hollow. When he imagined walking barefoot to Jerusalem or living like Saint Francis, a quiet, steady joy lingered long after he closed the book.

He didn't recognize what was happening — not at first. He thought it was mere preference, a passing mood. It took months of attentive reflection before Ignatius realized these inner movements were God speaking, tugging at his heart through consolation and desolation. That slow recognition became the foundation of Ignatian discernment, a practice that has guided millions of Christians for five centuries.

Young Samuel heard a voice three times in the darkness and mistook it for old Eli calling from the next room. Sometimes God speaks and we chalk it up to restlessness, mood, or coincidence. Like Samuel, we may need to learn that the stirring we cannot explain is the Almighty calling our name — and our only task is to answer, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."