A Discerning Heart
Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. I Kings 3:9
I strongly desire the spiritual gift of discernment.
In 1974 Catherine Marshall, the widow of Presbyterian minister and Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, Peter Marshall, wrote a book titled, “Something More: In Search of a Deeper Faith”. Reading and discussing the book in a small group had a profound impact on my spiritual life.
The author was searching for a deeper relationship with God through his Holy Spirit and his gifts. One spiritual gift discussed was the gift of discernment, suggesting that the more you prayed and used that gift, the stronger it would become. Sort of like a muscle you developed that got stronger the more it was used. She encouraged readers to step out in faith and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, testing what you believed you were hearing.
Over time with plenty of testing and reflection, I have become more and more confident of my discernment.
We are familiar with the list of spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12:4 which states these gifts are for the body of Christ and the “common good”. This includes wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment, tongues and the interpretation of tongues. All of these gifts come from the same Spirit. They are not just for a pastor or priest; they are for all of us.
Obviously, it would be wonderful if we all were given each and every gift. But the distribution is determined by God. All of these gifts combined within the Church, or the Body of Christ, present a full and balanced outreach to the world. A world that is broken, seeking, and desperate for our Savior Jesus Christ.
My reason for seeking discernment is that it often goes hand in hand with wisdom, and these two gifts are useful in our everyday lives. You may be wondering how. Let’s examine some examples where discernment and wisdom are needed.
You, a family member or friend have a health issue.
A decision needs to be made regarding a job opportunity.
Your marriage relationship is broken, and you are unsure of what to do.
There are questions regarding a friendship.
A teen is starting to test boundaries.
You are concerned about the spiritual condition of your parent, spouse, sibling or child.
Your battle with an addiction has become overwhelming.
Worry is consuming you as you consider major life decisions.
Financial debt is out of control.
Now what?
My suggestion is to pray asking for discernment and wisdom. Go to God’s Word. Seek Godly counsel that you trust. Take time to listen for God’s voice. Ask Him to speak to your heart and to give you guidance.
I know this may seem overly simplistic, and it is to some extent. But I assure you that the more you use your discernment, the stronger it will develop. In the beginning you won’t get it right every time, but as you trust your instinct your confidence will grow.
God wants to be a part of your life, enabling you to use gifts he has given you to live a happy fulfilling life. A discerning heart is a good place to start as we develop spiritual gifts on our faith journey, gifts you can use each day.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7