As the calendar year once again turns my heart and mind have been musing about a guiding word of the year.  I find this practice more suited to me then a new year’s resolution.   Referring back to my last blog on spiritual endurance, I thought endurance or perseverance might be a guiding force.  Although these words imply fortitude and staying with my soul work or Christian walk, they just seemed too forced or tainted with a touch a negativity.  Akin to only the strong survive or survival of the fittest. As a New Englander, we come from a hearty stock, good old Yankee Grit or the Patriot Way.  This did not feel like a doorway into a more spiritually guided new year. 

Perseverance speaks to me of trudging uphill, eyes down to see all the rocks and obstacles rather than looking up to see the forest from the trees.  Never mind, arriving at the top of the hill or mountain to truly take in the grandeur, see the broader perspective or even pause to entertain or interact with the sacredness of the moment. 

After some soul searching and appreciation of the nuances of our language and the way it can inform the sacred, I have arrived at discernment.   The word just came through on a walk one day, it seems just right for what I would like to focus on this year.  Interestingly, the Oxford Dictionary’s first meaning for discernment is the ability to judge well.  Ok, that speaks to me, BUT I am REALLY trying to judge less altogether.  So hard!   I could focus on judging ‘well ‘or I could look at the second meaning; (in Christian contexts) discernment is the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.  Now that sounds like a meaningful endeavor.  A quick google search has AI stating it like this:

Spiritual discernment is the God-given ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, good from evil, and divine guidance from deceptive influences, helping individuals make wise choices aligned with God’s will by listening to His voice in scripture, nature, and life, rooted in prayer and community, to live a purposeful life. It’s about seeing deeper, recognizing God’s work, and understanding the spiritual reality behind situations, not just surface appearances. 

I like this a lot, thanks AI… It’s about seeing deeper.  Some definitions of discernment simply describe it as seeing clearly, particularly ourselves.  Something that many of us have a very hard time doing.   This reminds me of the famous verse from Matthew 7:3-5 which is Jesus speaking during the Sermon on the Mount:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye

I would like very much to work on removing my own ‘plank’, my own filter based on my beliefs and opinions.  This would help me to allow others to Do Them, or Let Them, without me painting my version of what would be better for them in my head, or in my words.  My online favorite qigong teacher Nick Loffree said this during a recent class (loose quote) “ Just like black smiths put the iron into the fire and hammer and hammer to form the sword, our souls need to be conditioned over and over again to continually choose love. “.   This is the kind of work I can commit to, maybe we all should. 

This reminds me of the famous quote attributed to Rumi:  Before you speak let your words pass through three gates.  Is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?  I like the necessary part, how often do we spout out words that are clearly not necessary or just validating our ego.” Yeah, the same thing happened to me” …… running on about our story before we clearly listen to another and simply witness them.  It’s like our own strong instinct to put ourselves out and over the other, ego, ego, ego, me me, mine.  I know sometimes adding and relating to the other can be beneficial but is it always? 

So let us consider what the Bible says about discernment.  A good place to start is in the book of Proverbs whose teachings were said to have come from King Solomon.  The overarching message is that true wisdom comes from fear of the Lord. For me fear never lead to a deepened relationship with God, but I do respect that this expression is common in the Old Testament. Respect yes, even better reverence and awe are words to describe the relationship with God that leads to wisdom, insight and contentment.   Proverbs 2: 1-5 describe this relationship with God:

My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.

To me this speaks of an ongoing practice of finding time to listen to God, to turn our ears and hearts to him.  This sounds like prayer to me.  Not the kind of prayer where we list our daily wants and requests to God, but the type of prayer time that encourages us to be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10. This is a well known Bible verse, but how often do we truly practice it? 

In this Proverbs passage we see both human responsibility to search for knowledge and God’s grace to give it. I think God granted us free will so we could have this responsibility to choose Him, to form a relationship with him that is two sided.   God is the one who gives wisdom and the one who helps preserve those who are wise. When we make it a practice to search for His wisdom He will provide.

Paul one of my favorite writers in the Bible also guides in ways that will lead to better alignment with God.  In Romans 12:2 he says this:  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  I love this, how easy it really can be to renew our minds by literally stepping away from the patterns of the world.  Turning off our phones.  Stepping into the forest.  Taking a few breaths any time but particularly before responding recalling is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?   Isn’t this how Paul prays for us here in Philippians 1:9: And this is my prayer: that your love may more and more abound in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best…

Before we close let us return to the wisdom of proverbs: My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.- Proverbs 3: 21-24.   Such good advice, not of the worlds but from God, keeping his wisdom in sight preserves our judgment and very life.  Some say wearing a cross is simply an idol but perhaps it can be like this, Gods wisdom and grace like an ornament around the neck.  A reminder of whose we are and who walks with us helping us to make wise and careful decisions.  Perhaps most importantly reminding us to make time for Him, to hear His voice and to discern His presence and guidance.

To be perfectly honest, I do not hear God’s voice often, no burning bush moments for me but I think I can discern his presence when I get quite and make room for insight to come through from Him that I would of otherwise missed.   We also can discern what he wants for us in scripture, like Leanne Crawford says in her song Still Waters (Psalm 23) “write scripture on your heart for when you need it”.  I don’t know what scripture you need to write on your heart, only you do.   Perhaps this could be a new year’s practice to cultivate, maybe you write a guiding verse on your fridge, tattooed on your arm?!  or simply placed again and again in your mind and heart for when you need reminding. 

I close with these inspiring words from – Margaret Silf, author of Inner Compass, back to nature, where to be honest I hear from God the most, in the whisper of the wind, the kiss of the sun and the vastness of the forest and meadows:   If you have ever done any hill-walking you will know how it feels when the fog comes down and you can’t see a step in front of you…. A wise walker, lost on the mountains, will turn to the compass when this happens, and for the inner journey there is a compass too. It is the tool we might call discernment. Discernment grows out of the habit of reflecting on our daily experience and noticing the points of consolation and desolation – seeing each day where God is active in our lives and making choices in line with the deepest centre of ourselves, where we are at one with him.