In this transition reliability test, Stella Cereus he writes about a confusing time when what once worked no longer fits, and faith becomes the only clear compass forward. In Finding God Every Day, Rebecca Simon he similarly writes about cultivating discernment, deep prayer, and trusting God’s guidance when the path is not clear.
Discernment is a notoriously tricky part of walking by faith with God.
It is a process of gaining wisdom and clarity through prayer and “listening” for guidance from God. Since this depends on the good judgment of the observer, there is a lot of room for error. Rather than something we are born with the ability to do perfectly, understanding is a skill time consuming developing a relationship with God, more time spent in prayer, and feedback from faithful Christian leaders (parents, grandparents, pastors/priests).
These are some of the subtle signs to look for when honing your cognitive skills:
1: Something feels “off”.
An important part of understanding is sitting with your question for a while. It’s not a quick, gut-reaction type of process. You have to have enough space to notice any quiet murmuring in your heart that the action you are considering doesn’t feel right, or conversely, to notice that everything feels right when the topic comes up.
This time can also help you see what other options are available. The bigger the question you’re asking, the more important it is not to move forward until you’re conflicted about what to do.
2: You always see a certain Bible verse.
Often, when we are stuck we will find that a certain verse keeps presenting itself to us. It may be in our prayer lesson and it may be a homily in church and it may be posted on a friend’s social media page. Seeing the same verse over and over again can be an indication that this is something you should consider in your life. A general rule of thumb is to wait until something appears three times before you assume it has a purpose related to understanding.
3: You feel the urge to keep secrets.
Feeling the need to keep something secret happens when we don’t trust ourselves to act according to our integrity or we value the opinions of the wrong people. If you are doing your best to do the right thing, there is no reason to keep your actions a secret. In fact, your decision can be broadcast and you will feel confident explaining your reason. Nothing is hidden.
You feel that other Christians can see your best efforts to be of God, even if you end up making a mistake. Perfection is not possible. It is possible to take the time to make a choice based on a faithful interpretation of the instructions given in the Bible, using understanding as a guide when it comes to gray areas.
4: You notice the anxious feelings of the body.
Sometimes we get an environmental signal that we are acting contrary to understanding. Some people will feel bad if they do something they know they shouldn’t do. Take time to notice any discomfort, tension, shallow breathing, shaking or other signs that your body and mind are out of sync. If you use mindfulness correctly, your mind and body should feel at peace.
5: He gave in to a false sense of urgency.
People make rational decisions when they are under pressure. That’s why sales people are always rushing you to do something before you’ve had time to rationally consider the transaction. Anyone who wants to make a good decision more than they want to do what’s best for them will be happy to give you time.
Rushing is often a warning sign that the deadline setter doesn’t care about you doing the right thing. If immediate action is unavoidable in your situation, it may not be the best time to rely on understanding. Here, it would be more appropriate to rely on the clear word of God as written in the Bible or the advice of your church leaders.
6: The action you are considering is inconsistent with your values.
This is obvious, but the easiest way to know that something is not for you is if you have to go against your own behavior. Sometimes, the promise can be so tempting that we ignore this first step and look for loopholes to convince ourselves that we can do what we want to do rather than doing what we know we should do.
This may also be something you don’t see until after you’ve made a decision. Fortunately, there are few things that last in life and you can seek advice from faithful Christians on how to redirect to God’s path.
