Here’s a summary of what spiritual discernment is and what it implies. What comes to mind when you hear the words “spiritual discernment”? Perhaps you consider a spiritual approach to major life decisions, such as marriage or a new career. Consider it a supernatural method of distinguishing between good and evil spirits in the world. You might also interpret it as wisdom in comprehending and implementing Scripture.
The fact is that, depending on the context, spiritual discernment might be any of the above and much more.
What Is Spiritual Discernment?
Spiritual discernment is defined as “a decision-making process in which an individual makes a finding that might lead to future action.”
For a Christian, discernment is the process through which God assists a person in making the optimal decision. “Discernment” comes from the Latin word for “separate” or “put aside.” It is the ability to distinguish between good and evil, truth and lie, and wisdom and folly in Christian life.
Examples Of Discernment In The Bible
The Bible has several examples of discernment. One could claim that Jesus utilized discernment to cure and teach people throughout his time on earth.
Here are a few Bible examples that deal with discernment.
- “Beloved, do not trust every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1).
- “Do not be conformed to this world, but be converted by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is God’s will, what is good, acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
- “And it is my hope that your love may increase in plenty, with wisdom and all discernment, so that you may approve what is desirable and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).
The Bible makes it plain that discernment is an essential topic, so let’s speak about how you might improve it in your own life.
How To Improve Your Spiritual Discernment
How can you improve your spiritual discernment now that you have a greater knowledge of what it is? Fortunately, there are several methods for developing spiritual discernment.
It may appear difficult at first, but here are some methods for developing discernment.
Ask God in prayer
Consistent dialogue with the Lord is one of the simplest methods to build spiritual discernment. When you think about it, God is the only one who can provide true spiritual insight, therefore asking for His assistance makes perfect sense. The more we seek God’s assistance along the journey, the clearer it becomes that we can make sensible judgments through the gift of discernment.
Spend time reading Scripture
Another simple technique to improve your spiritual discernment is to read instances of it in the Bible. It might be difficult to grasp what God wants to tell us at times, but it gets clearer as we read His word.
Take time to listen
There are moments when we need to sit and listen to God. This is called contemplative prayer. We can go for a stroll and think about God’s message. We want to be receptive to what God may be saying to us via scripture, signs, and our own experiences. This is what it means to listen to God. Another option is to seek spiritual guidance from persons who have knowledge of God. When we seek advice, we should seek it from those who have the necessary expertise, experience, and wisdom.
The Ending Note
In a world where the adversary dominates and is continually attempting to deceive believers, every Christian must have spiritual discernment. Spiritual discernment is the unique capacity that God bestows on individuals to determine with certainty if given conduct or teaching is from God, Satan, human mistake, or human might.
It is the divine ability to tell the difference between truth and falsehood, to detect spirits, and to discriminate between good and evil, right and wrong.