Sarah Mitchell
The gift of discernment, also known as the gift of discernment of spirits, is a spiritual gift that allows one to identify and distinguish the presence of God, the nature of good and evil, and the will of God from other influences. It is a grace that comes from the Holy Spirit through unity and intimacy with Him in prayer. This gift is necessary for spiritual direction and for overcoming enemies such as the world, the devil, and our flesh, which hinder our path to God. Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of discernment in today's world, where we are faced with countless possibilities and distractions. Through prayer, reflection, reading, and good counsel, we can develop this gift and better recognize God's plan for us.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Spiritual endowment for all | To know if something comes from the Holy Spirit or the devil |
| Spiritual combat | To help us recognise God's timetable |
| Helps us overcome our enemies: the world, the devil, and our flesh | To help us recognise God's plan for us |
| Helps us recognise the presence and will of God and the nature of good and evil | To identify which spirit is influencing an action, a situation, a desire, or a decision |
| Helps us overcome deception | |
| Helps us recognise the concrete means that the Lord provides to make us move beyond good intentions | |
| Helps us recognise God's unique and mysterious plan for each of us | |
| Helps us recognise the meaning of our life before the Father | |
| Helps us recognise the real purpose of our life | |
| Helps us know the Father, the only true God, and Jesus Christ | |
| Helps us recognise the various spiritual agents that influence the moral value of our acts | |
| Helps us recognise the good and evil spirits that lay siege to our liberty |
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What You'll Learn
Discerning God's will
The gift of discernment is essential for spiritual combat, helping us follow the Lord more faithfully and recognise God's timetable. It is not only useful during extraordinary times of crisis and decision-making but is also necessary for everyday life. Pope Francis highlights the importance of discernment in today's world, where we are faced with countless possibilities for action and distraction, all presented as equally valid and good. Through discernment, we can navigate these choices and determine their alignment with God's will.
Discernment is a grace granted by God, and it can be developed through prayer, reflection, reading, and seeking good counsel. It is a gift given through our Baptism and Confirmation, empowering us to be channels of God's love and presence in the world. This gift is not limited to extraordinary individuals but is meant for all who seek to grow in their spiritual life and follow God's unique plan.
To discern God's will, we must strive for simplicity and purity of heart, meditate on God's Word, cultivate a life of prayer, and desire to serve others as Jesus did. Through these practices, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's guidance and become more attuned to God's voice. Additionally, we can seek guidance from spiritual teachings, such as St. Ignatius Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises," which offers rules for the discernment of spirits and provides a secure course for spiritual growth.
By exercising discernment, we can overcome the enemies of our souls, as described by St. John of the Cross: the world, the devil, and our flesh. Through constant praise, daily prayer, studying God's Word, and obedience to the Church, we can align our lives with God's will and fulfil our unique purpose, which is to know the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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Discernment in daily life
Discernment is a gift from God, a grace granted in the early Church and in the lives of saints. It is a spiritual gift that allows us to discern and examine the presence of God and the nature of good and evil in others and in the community. It is a means of spiritual combat to help us follow the Lord more faithfully.
The gift of discernment is necessary in our daily lives to help us recognize God's timetable and not fail to heed the promptings of His grace. We need discernment to recognize the concrete means that the Lord provides in His mysterious and loving plan, to help us move beyond good intentions. It is a tool to help us strive for all that is great, better, and more beautiful, while also being concerned with the little things, each day's responsibilities, and commitments.
Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of discernment in today's world, where contemporary life offers numerous possibilities for action and distraction, with the world presenting all of them as valid and good. We need discernment to differentiate between what comes from the Holy Spirit and what stems from the spirit of the world or the devil.
Discernment can be exercised through prayer, reflection, reading, and good counsel. We can also develop it through constant praise, daily prayer, studying God's Word, obedience to the Church, adherence to the sacraments, and friendship with Our Lady.
The gift of discernment is essential in our daily lives as it helps us navigate the complexities of the world and stay connected to God's plan for us. It guides us in our interactions with others and our community, ensuring we are powerful channels of God's love and redeeming presence.
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Discernment in the New Testament
The New Testament offers several insights and examples of discernment. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15, Paul speaks about spiritual discernment, stating that those without the Spirit cannot understand the things of God, as they are "foolishness" to the human mind without spiritual discernment. This highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in providing believers with the ability to discern spiritual truths.
The Apostle Paul also encourages believers to develop a discerning spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12:10, he mentions the gift of "discerning of spirits", which has been interpreted as the ability to distinguish between true and false prophets and spiritual leaders. Ephrem the Syrian interprets this as the good management of the church.
Another example of discernment in the New Testament is found in Romans 12:2, which instructs believers to not conform to the world but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds, so that they may discern God's will and make choices aligned with His purposes.
Discernment is also associated with wisdom and insight. King Solomon, known for his power of discernment, made wise decisions and moral judgments (1 Kings 3:9, 11). Believers are encouraged to seek wisdom and discernment, as it leads to understanding the ways of the Lord and walking righteously (Proverbs 3:21-24, Hosea 14:9).
The process of discernment involves taking time to make decisions, using both the head and the heart, and assessing one's values. It is a lifelong task and a virtue in the Christian faith, demonstrating a profound spiritual alignment and engagement.
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Charisms and spiritual gifts
Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to Christians by the Holy Spirit. They are meant to enable Christians to be powerful channels of God's love and redeeming presence in the world. These gifts are received through Baptism and Confirmation. Charisms are to be used in charity or service to build up the Church.
There are several types of charisms, including:
- The Charism of Administration: This empowers a Christian to be an effective channel of God's wisdom by providing the planning and coordination needed to accomplish good things.
- The Charism of Evangelism: This empowers a Christian to share the faith with others in a way that draws them to become disciples of Jesus and responsible members of his Church.
- The Charism of Encouragement: This empowers a Christian to nurture others through their presence and words of comfort, encouragement, and counsel.
- The Charism of Faith: This empowers a Christian to be an effective agent of God's purposes through an unusual trust in God's love, power, and provision, and a remarkable freedom to act on this trust.
- The Charism of Healing: This empowers a Christian to be a channel of God's love through whom God cures illness and restores health when healing is unlikely to occur quickly or at all.
- The Charism of Celibacy: This empowers a Christian to be fulfilled and spiritually fruitful by remaining unmarried and celibate for the sake of Christ.
The gift of discernment, also known as the gift of discernment of spirits, is one of the spiritual gifts or charisms. It is a grace that comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, through our unity and intimacy with Him in prayer. This gift allows us to identify which spirit is influencing an action, a situation, a desire, or a decision, and to discern the presence and will of God and the nature of good and evil.
Discernment is necessary in our daily lives to help us recognize God's timetable and not disregard His invitation to grow. It is a means of spiritual combat to help us follow the Lord more faithfully. Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of discernment in today's world, where we are faced with countless possibilities for action and distraction. By praying with confidence for the gift of discernment and developing it through prayer, reflection, reading, and good counsel, we can grow in this spiritual endowment.
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Discerning good and evil
Discernment is a spiritual gift that allows us to identify the presence of God and the nature of good and evil. It is a means of spiritual combat, helping us to follow God more faithfully. Pope Francis explains that discernment is necessary to determine whether something comes from the Holy Spirit or the spirit of the devil.
The gift of discernment is also known as the gift of discernment of spirits, and it helps us to recognise which spirit is influencing an action, a situation, a desire, or a decision. For example, in Matthew 16:16, Jesus glorified the Father because he discerned that it was the Father who had revealed to Peter that he was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus also discerned that Satan was influencing Peter when he denied that Jesus was the Messiah (Matthew 16:22).
Discernment is necessary in both extraordinary times, when we need to resolve grave problems and make crucial decisions, and in our everyday lives. It involves striving for all that is great, better, and more beautiful, while also being concerned with the little things and each day's responsibilities. We can develop the gift of discernment through prayer, reflection, reading, and good counsel.
St. Ignatius Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises" provides rules for the discernment of spirits, offering a secure course for those seeking to develop this gift. Additionally, St. John of the Cross teaches that we must exercise discernment to overcome the three great enemies of our souls: the world, the devil, and our flesh. By staying united with God through prayer, praise, and obedience to the Church, we can discern and resist temptation.
The gift of discernment is crucial for our daily lives, helping us navigate the complexities of good and evil and follow God's plan.
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Frequently asked questions
The gift of discernment is a spiritual gift that allows one to identify and differentiate between good and evil, and to recognise God's will.
The gift of discernment is important in helping one to follow the Lord more faithfully. It is a means of spiritual combat, allowing one to recognise and overcome the enemies of the world, the devil, and our flesh.
In the Bible, Jesus discerned that what Peter said came from the evil one, and not from Peter's humanity (Mt 16:22). Jesus also discerned that the suggestions he received during his temptation in the desert came from the evil one, and not from God (Luke 4:1-13).
The gift of discernment can be received through unity and intimacy with the Holy Spirit in prayer. It can also be developed through prayer, reflection, reading, and good counsel.
Other spiritual gifts in Catholicism include the charisms of administration, celibacy, craftsmanship, encouragement, evangelism, faith, giving, healing, and helps. These gifts empower Christians to be effective channels of God's love, wisdom, and goodness.
