THE WISDOM OF DISCERNMENT

 

In every human being, there is the natural faculty of the human instinct which is profitable for direction and protection, more so when developed to greater efficiency through attention, intention or condition.

In the Christian, there are superior faculties of godly wisdom and spiritual discernment obtained by the help of God's Spirit through The Scripture and prayer.

The Wisdom of God behind the believer’s faculties of godly wisdom is evident in what can be called "spiritual discretion", which combines two key components, namely: 

- Divine Discretion (Encryption), and 

- Christian discretion (circumspection)

Divine Discretion here refers to God's leading or God's unseen, inconspicuous and low-key ways of working out things in life, mainly in His Providence, which seem like covert operations or encryptions.

Christian discretion refers to the believer's use of the sound mind and application of godly wisdom to navigate life's situations or decisions. This includes moderation, consideration, caution, circumspection and godly discrimination.

You now see why spiritual discretion or godly wisdom for direction combines both components. We trust God's providential guidance as we take responsibility for making sound decisions and taking reasonable actions. 

Christian discretion is the responsibility of the believer, while trusting God for wisdom to direct. 

Godly discrimination and godly decisions are the result of Christian discretion, godly wisdom and spiritual discernment. They serve in protecting the believer from evil association and wrong paths. 

The Wisdom of God behind the believer’s faculty of spiritual discernment ensures the preservation of the believer from personal human limitations (internal) as well as from the world’s wickedness (external).

It compels the believer to see spiritual growth as a necessity and to diligently seek it, as the development of this faculty of spiritual discernment is significantly dependent on their spiritual growth. 

Spiritual growth is in turn dependent on Scriptural knowledge. As the believer increases in knowledge of Biblical Truth (sound doctrine), they are able to make clearer distinction between what is godly, spiritual or scriptural and what is ungodly, carnal or unscriptural. This protects the believer from the prevalent false doctrines and religious deception.

As the believer grows spiritually, this faculty is developed so they will get to "understand what the will of the Lord is” from The Scripture. 

As they become more mature, they can confidently decipher and consistently do what is pleasing to The Lord in any given situation with the developed faculty of godly wisdom or Christian discretion, even where there is no explicit Scriptural instruction. 

They do this without the need to say “God told me” so that it remains subjective (not absolute as in The Scripture) yet it is sound, godly and God-glorifying. 

This additionally protects the believer from the sins of pride and presumption, and the error of inflexibility while still preserving their strength and stability in godliness or Christian virtue and Scriptural conviction.

Finally, the wisdom of God can be supernaturally decoded in instances of the fine blend between Divine Discretion and Christian discretion that shields the believer with inexplicit guidance, or encrypted communication of warning without concrete evidence, matched with mature discretion. 

For example, in the event of perceived or imminent danger, the believer has no physical evidence that could put his or her life at risk yet has a knowing, or is supernaturally granted clear insight into a person or situation beyond natural instinct or intuition.

It is like God giving a warning or message in an encoded format. It is like God directing Joseph through an angel in his dream to take his wife Mary with the baby Jesus to Egypt to protect the child from the secret sinister plans of the ruthless and godless king, Herod. 

Sometimes, God even shields the believer from knowing some things, if it is in the best interest of the believer to not know. This can be referred to as Divinely strategic ignorance. 

There are also such things as Divinely strategic suffering, trials and paucity. The betrayal and death of Christ was Divinely strategic. The Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world. Selah.

There is also the inverse to strategic ignorance, which is strategic sharing that provides information intentionally to find out how it will be used by the receiver. This is a form of strategic communication useful in data gathering and surveillance, strategic partnerships and strategic leadership of various kinds (governance, business, professional, religious, traditional, etc), all geared towards achieving a defined goal or set of objectives. For the Christian, everything done must comply with biblical, ethical and statutory standards. 

Everything God does is purposeful, strategic, deliberate, calculated and judicious. Even when He allows suffering, trials, lack or illness into a believer’s life, it is with and for good reason, and to His glory. 

The believer may not be aware of, or may not understand, the reason but there is always a reason. It could either have been triggered by the believer’s intentional or unintentional disobedience, or it could have been instigated by Satan to test the believer (which only strengthens and builds up the believer). 

Nonetheless, it will ultimately bring glory to God if the believer returns to God and surrenders to the Spirit, Word, power or will of God. God is Almighty. 

Of course this is in addition to, and complements, the wise quality in (and responsibility of) the believer of actively being discreet or circumspect.

The Christian walk includes walking circumspectly, soberly, righteously and godly in this present world of corruption, deception and wickedness.

This is pleasing to God and protecting to Christians.

Divine Discretion is the hidden wisdom of God embedded in the believer’s walk in wisdom or discernment and part of God's work of Preservation. 

Praise be to God.