Discernment is a gift, protector of the community and of all the other gifts
Discernment is a skill or ability given by God to recognize the identity (and, often, the personality and the condition) of the spirits that are behind different events or activities. This gift is essential to the Church, is generally granted to shepherds of the flock of God and those who are in a position to hold and guide the Saints.
As we can see in the definition above, this gift of God helps us to understand the origin of an intuition, a thought, a behavior, especially when it presents us strangely.
As gift [discernment of spirits], it does not proceed from simple human capacities or scientific deductions that we have acquired. discernment is intuition by which we know what is, truly, of the Holy Spirit.
The judgment can also be seen as a kind of vision or sensitivity; is a spiritual revelation of the operation of different types of spirits in a person or in a situation; it is the means by which God makes Christians realize what’s going on.
After all these definitions, we can ask ourselves: what benefit does this gift bring us to be use appropriately? How do we use it? How should it be used by people when living in complex situations?How they should proceed from the right orientation and hold that the judgement given them?
The use of the gift of discernment
The charism allows us to act properly in a fact or situation at hand at the moment. It allows us to identify the cause of this particular situation and may, therefore, take us to the root, the principle that moves, that originates, walking to a situation settled and happy.
The use of the gift helps us, therefore, to know the spirit, that is, the principle animator (anima = what animates, move, moves, etc.). With him, we can reach with ease, the source of inspiration and confirm from where it comes:
-If it comes from God (or God through his angels, his messengers);
-If has its origin in the human mind (which can be unhealthy, unbalanced, or changed);
-If comes from evil spirits (of the devil or evil spiritual influences).
Discernment helps us to distinguish right from wrong, the true from the false, guiding our lives in faith and doctrine of Jesus Christ. The Lord has for us this great gift, this precious gift, which is the discernment of spirits. Although it is a gift, although we will be given free of charge, it is the result, too, of our walk. We need to walk and mature and what makes us mature is the perseverance, prayer, Word of God and the docility. And with maturity comes also the discernment of spirits.
That God gives you this great gift you can pray now: Lord Jesus, I ask the discernment of spirits. I really need this gift not to be lost in confusion. I don’t want to hear anything bad, I don’t want to be confused. I want to be guided, led, guided by the Lord. Give me the gift of discerning of spirits.Amen!
I ask for you to grace, so that growth will come your own way with perseverance. I ask that you be matured, grown and rooted in Jesus, that you have insight to be able to serve the Lord better and better; as one who is good and prudent and whom the Lord can entrust what’s is the most precious possession.
Come, Holy Spirit, and give us the ability to discern.