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Doubt, Discrimination and Discernment

What are the differences between doubt, discrimination and discernment in the Christian life? Understanding these differences can help us to be spiritually healthy and God will be an open channel through which God can reach others. 
  • Doubt – not allowing God to speak to us in faith; 
  • Discrimination – judging others by our standards or our whims; 
  • Discernment – allowing God to help us to separate out the pieces of a puzzle so that we can begin to put things together properly in our lives or in the lives of others. 
 1 Corinthians 2:10b-11 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 

The word for ‘distinguish’ or ‘discern’ is also used in the Bible to mean ‘to doubt others or God’ or ‘to judge and discriminate against others’.  The core meaning of this word is ‘to separate thoroughly, to assess a situation by looking at all of the elements involved’. This gift of analyzing and sensing spirits can be used for God’s purposes through the leading of the Holy Spirit and should be motivated by a Godly love for others.  But the other side of this idea is that we can end up judging others by what we believe are their weakness, or we can end up having doubts in our hearts about our faith because we are trying to assess faith from a human perspective. 
  
Doubt – not allowing God to speak to us in faith; faith by its very nature is not logical, so God’s voice is illogical by human standards; doubt enters in when we tear apart what God has said to us and try to make it make human sense. 

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 

Several times in my life I have sensed God telling me to do something which made no sense to me or people around me. God's wisdom does not necessarily match up with worldly wisdom. Typically when God begins asking me to step out of a comfort zone I think of every reason why it does not make sense.  Eventually I just have to take the step of faith and stop trying to make it make sense, I just have to obey. 

I have watched the same scenario unfold in the lives of others as well. God's will does not have to make sense to anyone at the time, in the long run as we look back on the impact of obedience we can see God's hand leading, but in the midst of the decisions God's will can seem bewildering.  I have to admit that there have been months and sometimes even years where I second-guessed God's leading. Eventually I have been able to see why God led me to that place or situation but my human fears and emotions have often gotten in the way as God's will is unfolding. 

Of course, we have all read about people who "heard" their god telling them to do something evil.  The Bible is very plain that we need to test of our motive for anything that we do. A mixed motive - partly human and partly religious is very dangerous. God’s Will will not violate God’s Word! The evil one tells us to give up, to attack and to hurt others. God talks to us about hope, life, love and light. 

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.   

1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 

Discrimination – This means judging others by our standards or our whims; we tear others apart in our minds, in our hearts and then we probably end up tearing them apart verbally as well.  When we notice differences between ourselves and others it can cause us to seek to explain why our difference is better than someone else’s difference. It is easy to develop a ‘Win-Lose’ mentality in our lives, and in the church.    

It is easy to develop a discriminating mindset because we do not have to do anything, except have spiritual pride (which comes naturally).  There is a subtle change process that happens in our hearts which brings this about. 
  • Phase 1 - God is good - when I follow God's leading for me life is good 
  • Phase 2 - I am good - when I follow God's leading for me I am good 
  • Phase 3 - You are not good - you are not following God's leading for me 
  • Phase 4 - I am good you are bad - you need to be more like me 

Where do you think spiritual pride begins to enter in - Phase 3? Phase 4? No, Phase 2.  The moment we begin to think of ourselves with elevated religious esteem we are heading down a destructive path.  We have already begun judging ourselves and quickly we will be judging others according to our religious standards. 

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 

Even if someone is not living as we would want them to live, it is not ours to judge them.  We are supposed to be excellent examples of God’s love, hope and compassion. God is the one who convicts others of their sin, God is the one who can forgive someone, God is the one who can bring healing to hearts and homes.  We are simply supposed to guide people to Jesus. 

Discernment – allowing God to show us the various factors that might be affecting a person’s actions or reactions.  Allowing God to help us to separate out the pieces of a puzzle so that we can begin to put things together properly in our lives or in the lives of others.  How do these verses summarize what discernment should look like in our Christian lives? 
Philippians 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God. 

Love - The most obvious clue that we are discerning God’s will is that it is marked by love rather than righteous indignation or spiritual pride.  Plainly, the difference between discrimination and discernment is God's love. When we are motivated by God's love, when we are seeing others as our Heavenly Father sees them we have what I call "Eternal Eyes".  We are seeing beyond the physical person in front of us, we are seeing beyond what is being said or done and we are seeing this person's soul and spirit. Our hearts are broken by this person's need rather than being indignant that they are not like us.

This brokenness affects why we say or do something.  Someone who is full of spiritual pride says whatever they are thinking.  Someone who is broken for another person agonizes over the right words, the right time and the right motive for sharing their heart with someone else.  Even if the words do not come out right the other person can sense a broken, loving heart. 

1 John 4: 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 

May God bless you as you live out your faith at work, at school, at home and in the rush of everyday life.  May your words build and bless those God has given you. Amen.
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