Discernment

 

We went to the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth last weekend. I’m not generally a fan of modern art but I can appreciate some of it. I found it helpful to read the description of what the artist was trying to say before I looked at a work. Otherwise, most of what I looked at seemed meaningless on first glance.

 

Christians are called to be discerning. A useful definition of discernment is, “The skill of understanding and applying God’s Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong” (from “The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment”, by Tim Challies).  We should filter everything that we read and hear by seeking God’s viewpoint on it. Only in this manner will we find truth and direction, because life in the absence of God is meaningless on a spiritual level. Solomon in his wisdom understood this, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

 

Paul advised the Romans, and his words are just as relevant to us today, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV). We renew our minds by spending time in prayer, reading God’s word, and listening to Christian teachers.

 

We live in difficult times. We are constantly assaulted by those who are trying to influence us. We should reject whatever is in opposition to God’s Word and will. We should get away from anyone or anything that consistently tries to lead us astray.

 

Let’s commit to lives of daily discernment, always seeking to align ourselves with God.

-----

The individual posts in this blog have been collected into a book, Reflections From the Basic Truths Blog.  It is available for free as an E-book through Barnes and Noble, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-from-the-basic-truths-blog-james-yarmchuk/1147055811?ean=2940181202702, Apple Books, and multiple other book websites. It is available for a minimal charge on Amazon and can also be purchased as a paperback through them.