In the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius offers rules for discernment to aid pilgrims in navigating the spiritual life. The rules of St. Ignatius help us to make faith-sense of the interior movements of our hearts and the insights and thoughts that follow. With his wisdom and insights, we become better equipped to know and follow the movement of God, our Creator, and to see and reject the temptations of the enemy.
"Some Notes Concerning Scruples" (SE 345)
It is common for people to speak of something as a scruple though it has proceeded from their own judgement and free will, for example, when I freely decide that something is a sin which is not a sin. Thus if may happen that after one has chanced to step upon a cross formed by straws, he decides sccording to his own way of thinking that he has sinned. In reality this is an erroneous judgement and not a real scruple. (SE 346)
After I have stepped upon such a cross, or after anything else I may have a thought, said, or done, the suggestion may come to me from without that I have sinned, and on the other hand, it may seem to me that I have not sinned. Then if I continue to be anxious about the manner, doubting and not doubting that I have sinned, there is a real scruple properly so called and a temptation from our enemy. (SE 347)
The kind of scruple mentioned in the first note should be much abhorred, since it is whilly erroneous. But the scruple described in the second note may for a while prove to be of no little advantage for a soul devoting itself to the spiritual life. It may in fact greatly purify and clense such a soul by doing much to free it from even the appearance of sin. St. Gregory has said: "It is characteristic of a devout soul to see a fault where there is non." (SE 348)
The enemy considers carefully whether one has a lax or a delicate conscience. If one has a delicate conscience, the evil one seeks to make it excessively sensitive, in order to disturb and upset it more easily. Thus if he sees that one will not consent to mortal sin, or venial sin, or even to the appearance of deliberate sin, since he cannot cause him to fall in a matter that appears sinful, he strives to make the soul judge that there is a sin, for example, in word or passing thought where this is no sin.
If one has a lax conscience, the enemy endeavors to make it more so. Thus, if before a soul did not bother about venial sin, the enemy will contrive that it make light or mortal sin. If before it paid some heed to venial sin, his efforts will be that now it cares much less or not at all. (SE 349)
A soul that wishes to make progress in the spiritual life must always act in a manner contrary to that of the enemy. If the enemy seeks to make the conscience lax, one must endeavor to make it more sensitive. If the enemy strives to make the conscience delicate with a view leading it to excess, the soul must endeavor to establish itself firmly in a moderate course so that in all things it may preserve itself in peace. (SE 350)
If a devout soul wishes to do something that is not contrary to the spirit of the Church or the mind of superiors and that may be for the glory of God our Lord, there may come a thought or temptation from without not to say or do it. Apparent reasons may be adduced for this, such as that it is motivated by vain-glory or some other imperfect intention, etc. In such cases one should raise his mind to his Creator and Lord, and if he sees that what he is about to do is in keeping with God's service, or at least not oposed to it, he should act directly against the temptation. According to St. Bernard, we must answer the tempter, "I did not undertake this because of you, and I am not going to relinquish it because of you."
*(SE#) All quotes are taken from The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: Based on Studies in the Language of the Autograph by Louis J. Puhl, SJ
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