Regarding the universally praised experience in discerning thoughts, that is, which ones to carry out and which ones to turn away, there can be no rule for this.  Let everyone learn himself from his own experience, for we never meet a man whose rules always apply to us.

St. Theophan the Recluse,The Path to Salvation: A Manual of Spiritual Transformation

Even if a thought does not represent anything bad in and of itself or in its consequences, do not immediately incline towards it, but be patient for a time, so as not to do anything rash.  Some have waited five years before carrying out a thought.

St. Theophan the Recluse, The Path to Salvation: A Manual of Spiritual Transformation

“Do not seek answers from anyone in regard to yourself, but create the answers for yourself.”

—Barsanuphius, Letter 347b Letters From the Desert | Barsanuphius & John

Three elders, one of whom had a bad reputation, once visited Abba Achilles.  One of the elders said to him: “Abba, make me one net,” but he said: “I will not make [you one].”  The other said to him: “Of your charity [make one] so we can have a souvenir of you at the monastery,” but he said: “I haven’t time.”  The other, the one with the bad reputation said to him: “Make me a net so I can have [something] from your hands, abba,” and in answer he said without hesitation: “I will make one for you.”  The [other] two elders said to him in private: “How is it that when we asked you, you were unwilling to make [a net] for us yet you said to this one: ‘I will make [one] for you?’”  The elder said to them: “I said to you: ‘I will not make [one],’ and you were not dismayed, [thinking] I hadn’t the time.  But if I do not make one for this [brother], he will say: ‘The elder refused to make [one] because he had heard of my sin,’ and straightaway we cut the connection.  But I raised up his soul to prevent somebody like him from drowning in sorrow.”

Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Truth is truth; but if at some point you speak the truth without discernment, this is not truth. For example, it is true that so and so is mentally disturbed. But if you go and tell this truth you do not benefit anyone.

—St. Paisios the Athonite

Wisdom of Sirach 51:25
My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.

Wisdom of Sirach 51:28
From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.

Prudent action is often seen by most people as not sensible or unnecessary or too earnest.  The prudent exile controls or limits herself, but is generous with others trusting God to care for her needs.  She is modest and doesn’t give herself over to the spirit, attitudes and priorities of a group or a party or an event, just because everyone else is doing it.  She does what is right and prudent according to the wisdom in her heart the goal of piety, not explaining or defending herself.  The exile understands that most others won’t get it.  Prudent action that most others don’t recognize is, according to St. John, an essential part of becoming an exile in this world.

+Fr. Michael Gillis, Renunciation for Beginners

“Men are often called intelligent wrongly. Intelligent men are not those who are erudite in the sayings and books of the wise men of old, but those who have an intelligent soul and can discriminate between good and evil. They avoid what is sinful and harms the soul; and with deep gratitude to God they resolutely adhere by dint of practice to what is good and benefits the soul. These men alone should truly be called intelligent.”

—St. Antony the Great

Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Ecclesiastes 1:16-17 NKJV
I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.


Foot note:
“Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were all, we might be led to hate our life, as it is all vanity and vexation of spirit.”