From the outside of things, there is no way to be sure what the one “right” choice might be at any given time, for grace can be present in “wrong” choices as well. From the inside, where we might be more in touch with our true longing for God, the “right” choice is simply the one that springs most directly from that longing and reflects it most authentically. Prayer, Scripture, sacraments, spiritual community, and self-examination can all be sources of guidance as we seek to make such choices. But finally, even here at the heart of our human freedom, we are dependent upon the mercy of God.
