The Path of Discernment (Part 1)
“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.”
—Ps. 119:165
You see a man holding a piece of cardboard which is obviously handwritten, as though in haste, “Stranded, car broke down, please help.” You:
Look the other way
Scowl at him thinking “get a job” or “he’s just going to use it buy alcohol”
Feel guilty but drive off anyway
Roll down the window slightly and hand him a five-dollar bill with a tract inside
Offer to fix his car
Throughout the day, when I meet with my clients, when I meet over coffee with a pastor or friend, when I am home with my family, or I see a self-proclaimed homeless man on the street asking for a donation, I try to remember to ask two questions:
“What is God doing in this person’s life?”
“What is my part in it?”
This is the same response we want to have in all our relationships. Of course, we know the obvious answer is God would have us to love this person. But it isn’t always clear how we are to love someone. For example, are we always to help others by relieving their suffering? I heard a pastor once felt God was telling him, “Would you stop trying to relieve their pain, I am trying to use it.” Interesting, don’t you think?
We need to ask how God would have me to relate to this person in this situation at this time? What would He have me say and do? In order for me to know the answers to these questions, I have to listen. Not only do I need to listen to the person in front of me, but I also have to be listening to the Holy Spirit who understands what God is doing in that person’s life and what my part is in it. I listen because most likely what He has to say will mean more than anything that could possibly come out of my understanding alone.
This is referred to as the practice of discernment. Discernment is a gift of God, one that is sought and readily given to those who seek after it.
In Hebrews 5:14, we read that “solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
The writer obviously isn’t referring to real food. He is referring to their being still infants in their faith, drinking milk, only capable of digesting the “elementary truths,” things they had been taught when they first came to Christ. The writer wasn’t able to share with them the deeper understanding of God’s will and purpose for their lives. In order for them to have that level of understanding, they needed to be more disciplined in their approach to gaining that understanding.
When we apply ourselves to listening to the voice of God, to understanding what His will is for us and for our situation, then we will understand how we are to speak and act. Then, we will not conform to the patterns of this world, but be able to “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12: 2),” and respond in such a way as to accomplish what God has intended and planned.
I frequently tell people, you are not going to know God’s will if your relationship only consists of going to church on Sunday and letting the pastor tell you what he knows about Him. I could tell you about my best friend but that doesn’t mean you really know him. In this day and age, we count those as friends who invite us to like them on some form of social media. Many of my son’s friends are those who play games with him on the computer or through his game center. They don’t ever meet in person.
Close friendships are those that we spend time with, meet with, share with, and come to know through “constant practice.” If I want to know someone and what is important to them, this is what is required. Discerning what God is doing and wants to do, especially through me, is only possible as I put in that quality of time and effort to where I know Him.
We stumble when we are unable to discern the right paths to take and we end up taking the wrong path, but through constant practice of spending time with God, we will find our paths easier to discover and to follow.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “…the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life…A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities.”18
Set aside time during your daily devotions to just be silent and listen. In addition, set aside an hour a week to do the same, to just be with God, to hear from Him, and grow in your awareness of His presence and your discernment of His communication with you.
