What is discernment?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Im doing some research regarding the gift of discernment and I wanted to know your ideas as to what discernment is to you. What is its purpose? How is it used? How it strengthened?

[David13]

I think it may be different things at different times.
Sometimes it's just common sense.
Sometimes animal sense or smell.
Sometimes the spirit or at other times the ancestors given a voice to warn you.
Other times it may be logical conclusions to obvious things.
It may well be different things for different people. Part of it may be experience.
The purpose is frequently to warn you or keep you out of trouble of one kind or another. Or to show you the way to go. Or predict the future.
Sometimes it's just a thought that comes to mind.
Last week we were motorcycling in the snow thru' Utah and the thought came to me that I may see a deer in the road dying. Within a few minutes I saw a truck turning around and then the deer just on the center line with his legs wobbling in death throes.
Coincidence? I think not. Discernment.
dc

Premonition? Maybe. Self fulfilling prophecy? I think not, as I didn't hit the deer. Maybe the truck hit him.

[brianj]

Discernment is the ability to tell right from wrong, good from bad, and so forth. At various times we probably all have had the prompting that we shouldn't associate with someone, we should associate with someone else, we shouldn't be somewhere we have gone, and so forth.
Discernment is a gift that allows us to recognize good and bad so we can avoid the bad.

How do we strengthen our gift of discernment? Like any other talent, we have to work at it. When you discern that you should do something, do it. When you discern you shouldn't do something or remain somewhere, follow that prompting. Seek righteousness so you are better in tune with the Holy Ghost to better recognize the discerning promptings received. And pray for this gift, or pray for it to be strengthened.

[MMbelieve]

Im doing some research regarding the gift of discernment and I wanted to know your ideas as to what discernment is to you. What is its purpose? How is it used? How it strengthened?

Bednar Has done a fantastic talk on discernment. He says that the preceding ability we must have in order to have discernment is the ability to look and obey. To see and to do. The spirit will allow you to "see", for example, a person who needs a kind word and if you get that prompting then obey. To see and obey is crucial to obtain or use the gift of discernment.

The gift of discernment is the gift of discerning spirits as well as to know right from wrong. With this gift, you see with spiritual eyes and are able to see things that we do not see with out natural eyes. This opens a whole new way of seeing and thinking. We see beyond what is explainable.

For example, there are different types of energies or spirits that follows different acts and thoughts. Like if someone is negative, they eminate a negative energy. Most can pick up on this instinctually. With discernment that has been matured, you would be able to see beyond what everyone else does and can actually discern the "spirit" that is affecting this person.

Discernment is an awesome gift that allows you to not only see others being affected by evil spirits but also allows you to know if you are. It has been said that those who obtain the gift of discernment will not be lost. That's because they can discern themselves and will correct what may be wrong.

Discernment can also be a difficult and heart wrenching and a bit isolating of a gift. First off, you won't have discernment without a degree of charity. We must care for others and ourselves the way Christ cares for us. When you have charity and discernment, you WILL constantly see the suffering others are going through. And unfortunately you can also see why they suffer. It is hard and challenging when a friend or loved one suffers and you clearly see it but they keep help at arms length.

Discernment also shows you and prompts you all the many things that others need. The spirit shows and prompts so you will obey.
In addition to knowing right from wrong, you also know truth from error. This is in everything, even as people speak to you - you know if they are lying and to what degree they are being deceiving or if they are not telling the whole truth. This makes it hard as well, especially with family.

I'm rambling now, these are just thoughts off the top of my head. You want more info from one who has this gift, PM me.

[LDS Physician]

To me, it is a gift of the spirit that enables you to discern something within your sphere of stewardship that you otherwise wouldn't be able to if left to your own senses. So as a father I can at times discern that something is wrong with one of my children. Perhaps they are in danger or they are involved in something they shouldn't be. As a bishop, I often can discern how a ward member is doing with their weakness. It's a 6th sense for lack of a better term.

I remember well being a newly returned missionary. My parents took me from the airport to my stake president's home. He released me and then we went directly to a local park for a gathering of friends and family. I can clearly remember having a discomforting feeling like something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I was enjoying seeing everyone that I had missed for 2 years but it was tainted with that "something is wrong" feeling. After awhile I realized what it was: I couldn't "read" anyone anymore. I recognized that I no longer could look at a person, briefly converse with them, and get the subtle missionary discernment that I had so grown used to during my service as a missionary. Once I knew what was missing, I was fine with it and was no longer uncomfortable.

That same discernment is with me as a father and now as a bishop. I have had it in each of my callings but only within the bounds of that calling, obviously. It's a wonderful, in-the-background gift that I'm convinced is from the Holy Ghost and ultimately the Savior.

I enjoyed what brianj and David13 mentioned above!

[shadow]

Discernment is also knowing the intent of others when they try to be deceptive. It can be knowing a bad apple (person) when it appears to be good.

[diligently seeking]

It is an impression / enlightenment of truth about some one or a circumstance etc that rests upon you...

[Silver]

Great comments above.

'...by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.' Moroni 10:5
This verse includes the meaning of knowing when something is not true. You can know it's true that something is not true as Shadow mentioned. This is very important as Lucifer tries to deceive even the very elect.

[diligently seeking]

Emotion improperly nurtured will give us false discernment.
A few years back as I was driving home from some place-- I pondered upon why a certain family member could believe the way they believed. I actually prayed out loud asking as much ---immediately to my mind came the phrase "We gravitate toward and validate emotions that we nurture to our soul" The Lord did not want me forget this so the phrase was repeated a second time in my mind. I asked the question out loud after hearing the above phrase "what should we nurture"? The impression in response to my question that came to my mind was "the two great Commandments." The opposite of this a sarcastic and enmity etc filled disposition makes one incredibly susceptible to familer spirits and opens the door to be deceived / false discernment ... Christ is our one true foundation. Built upon him / seeking his face--through this approach nothing can fill us with his love which give us correct dicerment more... Better put by Nephi:


2nephi 4:
Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34* **O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.***
35 ***Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.***

We learn we live and act and discern "amiss" if ANYTHING other than Jesus is our "rock of righteousness..."


Revelation 3:
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me...

D&C 93:

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am...

"And if these things have ceased it will be because of unbelief..." which nothing speeds up nurturing that emotion / unbelief more than putting ones trust in the arm of the flesh and tragically be led to believe that all is well in ones personal Zion...

"The fullness of the Everlasting gospel is contained with in the Book of Mormon..." when we are willing and ready to believe the promises contained within the Book of Mormon and not let another interpret them for us-- we will then be on the path that leads to belief / receiving the "Heavenly gift" in this life and additionaly discern aright etc...

[freedomforall]

Discernment, Gift of

To understand or know something through the power of the Spirit. The gift of discernment is one of the gifts of the Spirit. It includes perceiving the true character of people and the source and meaning of spiritual manifestations.

1 Cor. 2
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,(GR examined, tried, judged.)

Alma 11:23
23 Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?

Jacob 4:15
15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying; for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon which they might build and have safe foundation.

Mormon 1:2
2 And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

Alma 45:10
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.

2 Kings 4:9
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

John 4:19
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Etc.

[Juliet]

There are many different things you can discern. One is, whether something is true or if someone or something is lying to you. For me, I can discern people's thoughts and feelings, like an empath; in order to get through to them (except not always because I can immature at times). A lot of teachers and mentors have this gift. A lot of people have it and aren't aware they have it, but are able to get along with people well because of it.

[freedomforall]

Woman Overhears Kid At Garage Sale, Acts Fast When She Sees Her Mom’s Face


"I sensed something"