When I think of discernment, I envision a court room. There are those that are accusing, are defending, the accused and then the one who is making the final ruling. Each one is coming at the case from different perspectives. One is using all his means to make sure the defendant is released with as little to no punishment for something he may or may not have done. While the other attorney is desperately trying to make sure that the defendant is brought to justice for the actions.

But then you have the judge, who has a large responsibility to look through the opinions to the facts of the whole case before making a ruling. He or she is responsible to make the correct call, based on the law.

Discernment is very much the same. But instead of looking at the outward thoughts or evidence it is look at the purpose of why things happen. If God is the judge, he doesn’t just listen to the words of the attorneys, but he looks at the heart of the defendant.

A lot of times the circumstances that we go through are hard to understand. Why does God allow a hurricane to destroy homes? Why does he allow so many good people to suffer and die? These question can sure be hard to understand without discernment.

Science can explain the happenings while the purpose can only be understood or discernment my God through the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

God has a deeper reason for allowing things to happen in this world. Bad things exist because of sin. (Remember God did not create sin. Sin entered the world because of a man’s decision.) We cannot full understand the why, until we understand and get to know who God is better. Having the mind of Christ (or thinking in accordance with Scripture) is the first requirement for learning discernment.

Without it, we can end up listening to false teachings and make misjudgments of others or situations.

You wouldn’t want a judge that isn’t discerning therefore before we judge we need to examine ourselves with the mirror of God’s word.

Matthew 7:3-5 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

So, that we too can live a life of discernment.