The Gift of Discernment

“The gift of discernment allows people to distinguish between what is right and wrong no matter how pressured a situation may be. If you have the gift of discernment, it's important that you use your gift wisely by not medaling or passing judgment upon others. Instead grow your gift by making the right choices within your life and guiding your children to also make the right decisions in life. Be the light.”

This spiritual gift is most likely the most important one and most likely to be overlooked by people who want to push their own agenda. It is important to note that although this spiritual gift may be held by one person, it is the task of that person to join with others to pray and confirm that the decision is from God.

For those of us who do not have the spiritual gift of discernment, we are still called to exercise this gift with the possibility of gaining skills in this area. So here are four ideas to help to discover God’s will for you and your church:

1. Choose @ Random

You may not have done this since you were a kid and even then, not done it with much understanding or belief, but try this when you have some time. Offer up a prayer to God asking for guidance and discernment through the scriptures. After being still for a minute or two, open your Bible and begin reading whatever page it lands on. As you are reading, take note of each sentence and see if a word or phrase “jumps off the page” for you. Think about what God may be trying to say to you. Which scripture you read may not be as important as what God is saying to you through it in the moment.

2. Start Praying

Start an online prayer group with some friends. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out time, but even 30 minutes where you can come together to discern God’s will for your lives. Assign each person a week to bring a scripture that they will read (just like above). Then the person who brings the scripture can act as a facilitator for the meeting. That person may also bring an issue or problem that they may need understanding of and they can share that with the group before the reading. If there are any connections with the scripture and issue, point them out as a word from God. Most of the time, a idea will resonate with three or four people in the group making it clear to the group that this may be where God is leading.

3. Prayer Warriors

It is always a good ideas to have prayer warriors that you can turn to when you need discernment. Make a list of those people who may be family or friends and you feel have always let you know that they are praying for you in a very specific way. They may be someone you see everyday or that you have only met one time but keep up with on Facebook or through email. Make a point of contacting them through Direct message or email or a phone call and ask for prayers in a particular area. Just as you always have emergency numbers for emergency personnel, you always have a list of those you can contact during a spiritual emergency.

4. Discern Each Meeting

Ask your pastor and/or your session to encourage every church meeting to start with discernment. It can be as simple as the directions for #2 and the group might only have 5-10 minutes set aside for this time. However, you will be surprised how different the meetings will feel with the work being centered with God at the first every time.