We are living in a time where people are encouraged to take things as face value. This has been accepted and so we don’t listen attentively, look beyond the surface, speak what we hear and believe and do as we are convicted. Instead, as a people, we accommodate all things in light of wanting to be labeled as ‘inclusive.’
Discernment is something that most of us have but choose to ignore. In general, it is the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure, what is not easily seen. It is an ability to judge well. The world’s version of discernment is an intuition based on experience, but that isn’t the case for followers of Christ. Our discernment comes from the Holy Spirit. It is one of the most important spiritual tools a believer carries. It is the ability to recognize God’s voice, sense His direction, and distinguish the subtle difference between what looks good and what is truly God. In a world full of options, and opportunities, discernment keeps your spirit anchored.
Hebrews 6:14 says ”But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Discernment is more than a feeling. It’s more than intuition.
It is the gift that helps you separate what is right from what is merely good, and what is God from what is merely noise.
Discernment grows when you slow down, listen deeply, and refuse to be led by emotions or pressure. It matures every time you choose prayer over impulse, and alignment with God over acceptance from people.
Psalm 119:66 : Teach me good judgment and discernment, for I rely on Your commands.”
Discernment Begins With Devotion
Discernment is not something you stumble into; it is something that grows from time spent with God. The more time you spend in prayer, worship, and the Word, the more familiar your spirit becomes with the tone, rhythm, and movement of God.
You cannot discern God’s will without knowing God’s voice.
Just like sheep respond to the shepherd they know, your spirit becomes confident when His whisper becomes recognizable.
Discernment Protects You
God will often speak through gentle checks in your spirit—those quiet hesitations, those uncomfortable nudges, or the sudden lack of peace. That’s not fear; that’s protection.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will show you the truth behind a smile, the motive behind a gift, or the spirit behind an opportunity.
Discernment keeps you from stepping into traps that were dressed up as blessings.
Discernment Helps You Choose God’s Best
Life will often present multiple good choices. But discernment helps you choose the right one. It helps you separate the urgent from the important, the temporary from the eternal, and the emotional from the spiritual.
Every door that opens is not destiny. Some doors are distractions.
Some friendships are seasonal.
Some opportunities are tests.
Discernment helps you know the difference.
Discernment Requires Surrender
Many believers struggle with clarity because they want God’s direction without surrendering their will. Discernment flows best from a yielded heart. When you let go of your own agenda, you give God space to speak clearly.
When you pray, “Lord, not my will but Yours,” you position yourself to receive divine insight that cannot be shaken.
Discernment Must Be Practiced
Hebrews 5:14 says discernment develops “by constant use.”
You sharpen your spiritual senses by:
- Obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit
- Testing every thought, voice, and opportunity by the Word
- Being patient before making decisions
- Asking God for wisdom
- Surrounding yourself with spiritually mature counsel
Discernment gets clearer with obedience. The more you honor God’s direction, the more He reveals.
Discernment Brings Peace
God’s will is always connected to peace—even when the decision is difficult.
Discernment doesn’t remove every question, but it settles your spirit. When something is God, there is a quiet “yes” that sits in your soul.
Peace is confirmation. Confusion is a caution.
Prayer
Father, open my spiritual eyes and ears. Sharpen my ability to recognize Your voice above every other voice. Remove every distraction, every counterfeit, every misleading opportunity. Give me the courage to obey Your direction, the patience to wait for Your timing, and the wisdom to see beyond what is on the surface. Teach me to walk in discernment daily. Amen.
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