True Happiness Not Just Pleasure

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 This is where real consolation coming from God will help you, since you hate God's will for now, even though what you want to happen is morally good also. But searching for that real happiness might just be knocking in your heart's door.

You were forced to choose the not-so-chosen path where you are right now that even seems to be against virtue, since on the other hand, what you will or want to choose is something that will help you become virtuous. And thus it seems God doesn't want to help you become virtuous.

But some of the elements of the not-so-chosen path also resonates with you. And then you enter into discernment. And most assuredly, God's consolation points you to the not-so-chosen path which if carefully reflected upon also will help you become virtuous. And so you rather change your mind and accept whatever it is that God is helping you choose for now which really consoles you and you can't understand why since there are rational basis against choosing it, while of course taking note that the unchosen path also has rational basis for being chosen. The only thing God guiding you to a difference is that one is giving you peace of mind or consolation, the other does not.

(That is why it is truly important to drop any immoral or evil choices from among things to be discerned upon before starting any discernment, being that discernment is among good options only.)

That being clear, your most assuredly being led by God to whichever choice gives you consolation. Further praying and reflecting will also confirm the chosen path as really God's choice for us.

If you have what St. Ignatius calls attachments, they are psychological level barricade for one to be able to see clearly and differentiate between pleasure and consolation. So any vice for example will make it difficult for one to see God's guidance. True happiness is what St. Thomas Aquinas calls our ultimate end.

St. Thomas Aquinas indeed considers happiness as the ultimate end of human life. He refers to it as beatitudo, which signifies perfect happiness. This ultimate happiness, according to Aquinas, is not found in earthly pleasures, wealth, or honor, but in the beatific vision—the direct and eternal communion with God in the afterlife.

In his view, all human actions are directed toward achieving this ultimate end, even if people sometimes mistakenly seek happiness in lesser, finite things. Aquinas emphasizes that true happiness can only be fulfilled by something infinite and perfect, which is God. -Copilot, Quick response, 13 April 2025.

Apparent pleasure and apparent happiness are sinful since they are not real pleasures and real happiness. But you thought pleasure is sinful and happiness is virtuous, right? Pleasure has its place in this world. For example, seeking pleasures from extra-marital affairs are just apparent pleasures, since what is true is that it doesn't give one any real pleasure because on the other hand unfaithfulness to one's vow gives one the guilt that kills inner peace. It's just that happiness is higher than pleasure, and that perfect happiness is higher than imperfect happiness.

Don't shy away if God is calling you to a higher good. He knows what you are made of. But he will also give the grace. Why in the first place will he give you consolation to take this path and not that path?

Doing God's will is the food that sustains Jesus. Since Jesus is Perfect Man and sees clearly God's will for him, we fail in comparison. But the Spirit being given already, we are rather challenge by Jesus to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

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