If you walk too close to the edge of a cliff, you’re likely to lose your footing and fall off. You know that you should look both ways before crossing the road, because traffic comes from both sides. You know you should not spend money you don’t have, because you will end up in debt. If the milk looks chunky and smells really bad, don’t drink it!

We have all been given common sense—both believers and nonbelievers.

But common sense is not the same as the biblical practice of discernment, which is a mark of a mature believer. Discernment can be defined as determining what is true and what is not by understanding what God says in His Word and applying it in our day-to-day lives—as we interact with others, go about our work or leisure activities, choose how to spend our time. We see a contrast in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” We do have our own understanding, but we are to lean on God and His wisdom and to place our ultimate trust in Him.

So how do we practically grow in discernment?

Ask for Discernment, and Slow Down to Listen

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.

— James 1:5

We can pray and ask God for discernment directly. This often means sitting with God in His Word, for He can and will speak to us through it.

When we approach God, we should create an environment where we can listen. The other day, I sat on my patio, watched the trees, and thanked the Lord for being with me. I realized that I rarely cultivate moments to sit and truly listen to God. Even though it was only for five minutes, that stillness made a difference.

We can grow in discernment by cultivating those moments to sit and be with the Lord. Ask Him, be with Him, and wait.

Discernment is about more than knowing what to do. Discernment is also about being known by God, and we cannot be known by Him if we do not let Him in. Slowing down to spend time in Scripture and prayer allows us to deepen our relationship with God. If you go to the Lord through Scripture and in prayer, even if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, you will grow closer to Him.

Test the Spirits

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

— 1 John 4:1

Discernment acts as a spiritual guardrail for our hearts. This passage in 1 John encourages believers to “test the spirits” and thus determine whether spiritual things are from God or not. We sort through spiritual claims, cultural trends, and our own intentions to separate truth from deception. The Spirit of God empowers all believers with the ability to test and determine whether something is from God.

For example, our culture heavily emphasizes “self-love.” At first, self-love may sound like a biblical concept. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves, which means that we should love and care for ourselves (Matthew 22:39). However, the world’s understanding of loving ourselves can lead to cutting out anyone who disagrees with us, following our desires regardless of where they lead us, and always choosing our own good before the good of others. When we hold this narrative up to the truth of Scripture, it falls short. As Christians, we are called to love one another self-sacrificially as Christ loved us (Philippians 2:1–4). Discerning between the spirit of cultural “self-love” and spiritual, sacrificial love is just one example of how God’s Spirit guides us in discernment.

Discernment for All of Life

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.

— Romans 8:28

According to The National Library of Medicine, the average adult makes 35,000+ decisions per day, from deciding when to switch lanes in traffic to choosing what to eat for lunch or what to say in response to a family member.¹ It’s no surprise that the phrase “decision fatigue” is commonly used to describe the constant overwhelm of decisions we face each day.

Discernment is relevant both for the biggest decisions we face and for the thousands of small decisions we make each day.

For daily decisions, discernment doesn’t always look like praying, fasting, and waiting on the Lord. We often don’t have time for this in-depth discernment process. Instead, invite the Spirit into your day and into all the ordinary decisions you make.

One of the hardest daily discernments for me is how to spend my time. I love saying yes to things, and I always seem to overcommit. Some of it is probably born of the recovering people-pleaser in me, who always wants to make others happy. But I also enjoy filling my time with friends and events. I have to guard time with the Lord and be careful to prioritize my time rightly. It isn’t discerning to say yes to everything.

Consider your daily decisions and whether there are any areas where you have not invited in the Spirit of God. Ask the Lord to lead you throughout your day. He will be faithful to do so. God loves to lead His children, and He will lead you.

But what about the heavy questions that weigh on us? Should I move? How do I know which church to attend? Who should I marry? Where should I send my kids to school? How should I handle this stressful family situation?

When we stand at a major crossroads, we can have confidence that God is with us. That doesn’t mean that an arrow from the sky will point us in the direction we are to take. We may even be asked to wait at the crossroads for a time, but we can be confident that nothing is wasted, and God is actively working for our good.

Taking the Next Faithful Step

One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap.

— Ecclesiastes 11:4

While we should cultivate moments to listen to God, His responses to us won’t always be immediately apparent and obvious.

If you are a farmer planting a field, you don’t analyze the weather all day—if you did, you’d never plant. Most of us won’t hear the audible voice of God telling us what to do when we face a decision. We cannot look at the clouds, expecting that the wind will magically sow the seeds for us. It brings God glory when we make a choice and move forward in faith.

This doesn’t mean we rely entirely on our own judgment. Instead, we make decisions in faith with the Spirit inside of us. Discernment is less about feeling God’s direction and more about faithfully walking with Him. We can easily become hung up on wanting to “make the right choice” and miss the next faithful step God wants us to take.

While common sense relies on what we can see, biblical discernment relies on Who we know. God has not left us alone to navigate the chaos of life. Sit quietly with Him today and ask Him for the wisdom He has already promised to give.

Notes:

National Library of Medicine, “Decision Fatigue,” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.switchgov/articles/PMC6119549/.

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Author Bio

Rebekah Grinestaff is a Staff Writer at The Daily Grace Co.® She is devoted to making rich theological material accessible to others. When she is not writing, Rebekah devotes herself to her family, friends, and church. She also enjoys exploring the Houston food scene and delights in the beauty of the natural world.

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