When I was a new believer I didn’t have much wisdom. I was pretty naive and had a worldly mindset. Mostly, I made choices based on my emotions. But now I choose differently because Jesus taught me how to have biblical discernment and be sober-minded. Not just with big decision-making, but with choices like who to learn from, what sound doctrine is, and how to deal with difficult people.
Biblical discernment is vital to our spiritual maturity and stability. It helps us to stay on the path God wants us on instead of straying.
Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.– Charles Spurgeon
What does the Bible say about discernment?
The biblical definition of discernment is to distinguish or separate out so as to investigate. Put another way, it’s to examine, scrutinize, question, and determine or decide.
I personally love the King James Version and use it exclusively. So my bible doesn’t have a single mention of the specific word ‘discernment’ but does have other variations of it. Here are some bible verses from the KJV about ‘discern’.
9 Scriptures on discernment in the KJV
2 Samuel 14:17 KJV – Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.
2 Samuel 19:35 KJV – I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
1 Kings 3:9 KJV – Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1 Kings 3:11 KJV – And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
Job 6:30 KJV – Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
Ezekiel 44:23 KJV – And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
Malachi 3:18 KJV – Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Luke 12:56 KJV – Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Hebrews 5:14 KJV – But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Examples in the Bible of people who had discernment
Solomon is the obvious choice for an example of someone who had discernment in the bible. He knew that the task of becoming the king and judging the people was too much for him. So he did what we should do when we’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start on something. He prayed! (1Kings 3:6-15)
Solomon asked God for discernment. The Lord answered his prayer, and Solomon became known as the wisest man in the world. As a result, his kingdom flourished and had peace and prosperity for years.
1 Kings 4:29 KJV – And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
1 Kings 4:34 KJV – And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Abigail also had biblical discernment
Another person who had great discernment was Abigail. You can find her story in 1Samuel 25. She is such a sober-minded woman! There was an extremely heated incident between her pagan husband and David’s men that threatened the safety of her household. She used good judgment and acted quickly to diffuse the situation.
Abigail teaches us how to respond wisely to the drama in our lives, by using discernment based on God’s word instead of emotion. When she talked to David she reminded him of what God said about him and his future as king. She was able to convince him not to lash out in anger because she knew the circumstances called for humility, speaking the truth, and providing for the urgent needs of David’s men.
Abigail also exercised discernment when she saw that her husband was drunk and she decided to wait to talk to him when he had sobered up. A woman with biblical discernment judges the situation and determines if it’s the time to speak or be still. She is discreet.
1 Samuel 25:36 KJV – And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
How to have biblical discernment in decision-making
Although it’s not easy, I’m learning to use discernment about what to say yes and no to when my physical circumstances are taxing. For example, when I’m well-rested and my pain levels are low I feel like I can take on the world! That’s when I tend to make plans and start projects.
But with chronic pain and illness, that energy fades quickly and I’m left disappointed that I can’t finish everything I started or planned to. That’s why I need to have discernment in decision-making, so I can determine if the things I want to pursue are God-given desires or fleshly ones. This ensures that I don’t take on too much or chase after the wrong things that could hinder me from fulfilling God’s will for my life.
If you want to have biblical discernment so you can make decisions that line up with God’s word and will, then make sure you take these five steps.
5 Steps to take for biblical discernment
- Pray for discernment. James 4:2 says “ye have not, because ye ask not”. So to gain insight and grow in wisdom, ask God for it!
- Read the Bible for discernment. We can’t have a biblical worldview or make biblical decisions if we don’t know what the Bible says. It’s important to not only learn God’s word but to also consult it after we’ve prayed for guidance.
- Listen to the Spirit for discernment. The Holy Spirit helps us have discernment. He gives us peace about the right choice and reveals God’s will in His word.
- Ask wise counselors for discernment in decision-making. Sometimes we’re too close to a situation and emotionally entangled. Or we’re not walking closely with Jesus, so we can’t clearly see what the best option is. Wise counselors like our pastors, spiritual mentors, etc., can be more objective and offer suggestions to help us have a proper perspective.
- Use these filters to determine if your decisions are biblical. When we’re making decisions, it’s helpful to run them through some filters to see if our intentions are biblical. These questions help give me discernment:
- Is it my ego driving this decision? Pride often causes us to do things just to look good or to be known or get in the spotlight.
- Are my emotions dominating my decision-making? I think we’re all guilty of making choices based on how we feel at the moment. That was certainly Martha’s problem when she lashed out at Jesus when her sister Mary wasn’t helping her work. (Luke 10:38-42) Regret always accompanies emotionally driven choices.
- Am I choosing this or responding this way because of my own expectations or the expectations of others? Or is it really what the Lord wants?
A simple prayer for biblical discernment
Father in Heaven, thank you for your grace and love. You are so good to me! You know the choices laid out before me and know exactly what I should do. I ask for biblical discernment to understand which decision is your will for my life. Help me to follow you even if it isn’t the direction I thought I would be taking. You know best Lord, and I trust you completely. Lead me and guide me for your name’s sake. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Practice makes progress
Whether it’s a big decision or a little one, biblical discernment helps us to make choices that glorify God. It enables us to walk in wisdom and grow in godliness. Discernment is an essential element of our spiritual growth, and something that is cultivated over time as we pray through decisions, search the scriptures for wisdom, rely on the Spirit, listen to wise counsel, and make sure our motivations are pure.
Practice makes progress. Instead of making snap decisions, train your brain to examine what is right and wrong in God’s eyes and act accordingly. The more often you do that, the wiser and more discerning you will become!
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2 Tried-and-True Ways to Know Jesus More Intimately
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