The Ability to DISCERN

I have bowed my head many times and asked God to bless me with the "Spirit of Discernment."  Often, it has been at a turning point in my life; some like to call it a fork in the road.  Whatever you call it.  It is during a time where your choices will affect your life and/or the people around you.

 

What exactly is discernment?   It is the ability to look beyond your emotions and circumstances and make good sound decisions.  For example, Recently, I was selected as a juror.  As a juror, a person has no prior knowledge of the circumstances or the situation.  A juror has to make a sound judgment about someone's life based on the evidence and testimony.  As I researched the word “discernment” I believe the best definition I found “is the ability to recognize and understand truth and then know what to do with it.” 

Note: that it is a two-folded process……….

If I take the example above and apply the definition: I would have to recognize and understand what is true and then know what to do with my insight.  Based on our judicial system it would be to find a person innocent or guilty of all charges and possibly render a sentence.  It seems pretty cut and dry on paper; yet, we can’t eliminate the emotional aspect.This is where things can become fussy……understanding truth.  Truth to each of us can be different and it is all based on our moral belief system.  Truth can be clouded by our experiences and we can slowly reason truth away.  I believe that is why we go through the juror selection process; as painful as it can be.

My belief system as you all know is scripture based.  Nonetheless, just because I know what is right does not mean doing what is right will always come easy. Once more, that takes us back to our definition…what to do with this truth.   I can honestly say my heart wept for both of the individuals as I went through the juror process.  So why is discernment taken lodge in my heart; choices we make in life is not as cut and dry as the laws that are put in place to support the judicial system.

We make choices everyday that affect the lives of others.  Whether that business partner is the correct person? We can let personal relationships cloud our judgment. Whether that is the correct person to marry?  We can allow our emotions to push signs that we see to the back of our minds. Whether that job offer is for me?  The desire to succeed can cause use to make unwise choices regarding our family life.

Discernment is more than looking at a person's character.   It is discerning what is right and acting upon that choice. Let's not be a people where we get so caught up in the things that are going on around us; and forget to dig beneath the surface and discern what is truth.

We are living during a precarious time. We want to make sure-footed steps toward our destination.  Having the ability to have keen insight and judgment; allows us to make the determination that what we see on the outside is reflective of what is on the inside.

If we do not have the ability to discern and understand truth, then we will suffer losses in our lives that possibly could have been prevented; causing our hearts to weep.

LOCKED WITHIN MY HEART

In my mind’s eye, I can see me and my oldest sister lying in my grandmother’s iron bed.  It is Sunday night and it is time for prayer and everyone has gathered in her room.   She is on bended knee, hand pressed against her forehead; my grandfather kneeling at a chair across the room. She starts off…Most Heaven Everlasting, to Everlasting though art God.  It is again and again Lord that we come to you.  The sounds and groans my grandfather make is not understandable but undeniably he is helping to prepare the way for my grandmother’s uttered prayer. 

At the time I didn’t know, if we were ending the week or starting a week nor if there were troubles that only they knew about but I did know it was prayer time, a time to give reverence to God.

Sunday night prayer was something that happened every week until my grandfather went home to be with the Lord.  Afterwards, I would hear my grandmother in her room praying late at night, in church services and my favorite was New Year’s Eve.  Thanking God, for another year, another day, another hour, another minute, and yes, another second.  Why, because some of us didn’t make it.

How appropriate as I approach another Birthday that I remember that the next second is not promised. Throughout this journey we call life there will be trails and tribulation; there will be heart aches and heart break, the bible tells us in Matthew 5:45, that God sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

The past two weeks has given a new meaning to having a regulated mind.  Keeping your mind stayed on Jesus Christ impedes the opportunity for the enemy to slip into your life and cause havoc.  It allows the Fathe to order your footsteps so you can walk in his divine providence.

 I know that pieces of my granny prayers ride on the wings of a dove and they surface at the right time to encourage me and my family; to let us know that God is a heart fixer, a mind regulator and an anchor in times of trouble.  Her prayers are locked within my heart.

I am not sure that being her caretaker was for her benefit or was it more for mine, again, only time will tell.