The Four Consolations of the Holy Spirit, by Jeannie Ewing

“We cannot come to a conclusion about the state of our soul from its suffering or its rejoicing…Consolation indicates, certainly, that the soul has taken a step in the spiritual life, but desolation may be a sign that it is even nearer to the summit.”

– Luis M. Martinez, True Devotion to the Holy Spirit

Consolations and desolations, much like the seasons, cycle throughout our lives. One often precedes another. God usually showers a soul with consolations in order to strengthen it for an upcoming desert period, but desolations also give way to surges of comfort, too.

Spiritual writer Luis M. Martinez wrote about four consolations of the Holy Spirit we may not recognize while we are desperately grasping for any signal that God is with us. We tend to consider warm feelings as an indication that all is well with our souls, but there are other ways God uplifts us in more subtle, even unnoticeable, ways.  …