From an AIM chat session with Archimandrite George that I recorded with permission:
Discernment is something extremely important for us. Discernment is the knowledge of the will of God is all circumstances and times. This type of knowledge is given not to the intelligent, but to the humble.
Saint Moses the Black gave a long discourse on discernment, showing examples of monastics who most pitiably fell into prelest, that is to say, demonic deception, because they lacked discernment. Here is one lamentable story.
Once there was a monk well known to the Fathers in Scetis who had spent decades in asceticism.
He was so strict in his observance, that he would not exit his cell ever, not even on Pascha.
He also fasted very, very strictly, eating only a small amount of food at given intervals with some small amount of water.
Well, this monk fell prey to the results of guiding himself in the spiritual life.
Rather than humble himself and become just like the other monks, he insisted on carving out his own path. This without fail leads to disaster.
Eventually a demon started to come to him in the form of an angel. Because he had been duped in his thoughts, he did not have the strength to resist the temptation with his eyes and ears, so he began listening to the devil
After so many visions and wondrous sights, the man was completely tricked.
Finally, the devil came to him and told him that in order to show to all just how holy and righteous he was, he should go and jump down a certain well.
Supposing he would emerge without injury as a testament to his sanctity, the monk actually did this.
With great effort the brethren rescued him from this extremely deep well. But the grievous thing is that not even after suffering this did he repent. After three days he died, justifying his actions.
The fathers were hardly able to prevail upon St. Paphnutios to bury him with the fathers, since what he had done was so close to suicide.
This type of catastrophe befalls a man because he insists on carving out his own path, rather than ask for the advice of those experienced in the spiritual life.
