What is pettifogging? It’s what happens when we put undue emphasis on petty details—which many of us do a lot in our spiritual lives. Pettifogging is the first thing St. Ignatius of Loyola warns against in The Spiritual Exercises. He reminds us that we are made to know, love, and serve God. All other things are minor in comparison. Snippet from the Show When we’re anxious sometimes it’s because we’re fixed on some minute detail and we’ve lost sight of the grander scheme of God’s great providence over our lives.