Dangerously InfluentialSample

Develop Discernment

Picture this. Your mom asks you to clean your room for the thousandth time that day, and you have to have it done by the time she gets home. So, naturally, you procrastinate and cram-clean when you hear the garage door opening. Instinctively, you know you made a wrong choice. And not just because moms are smart and have a sixth sense for telling when you’re lying. You just know you messed up. That feeling you get? It’s discernment through God’s Holy Spirit.

That same feeling of discernment you get when you make a wrong choice also tells us which influences are worth listening to. We should let our discernment determine who or what we let influence us.

So, how do we develop discernment? Let’s look at three ways to do it.

1. Ask great questions. The first person we ask is God. When you come across an influence, ask God if the influence will be good for you or hurt you. If you ask God for wisdom, He will give it to you (James 1:5). But also, ask yourself great questions. Is the influence helpful? Is it pure, right, or good? Does it motivate you to be better? Think through those questions, and make a decision based on your answers.

2. Develop an opinion. After you’ve asked questions, develop an opinion. Is the influence good for you? Or, is this influence causing you to have a bad attitude, make wrong choices, and distract you from good things God has for you?

3. Choose how to act. Make the decision about whether or not you’ll allow something to influence you. Then, stick to it! Don’t sugar coat your reasons or keep bringing it back up. Treat your decision like a commitment.

Remember, your discernment determines who or what you let influence you, so ask God to give you discernment and work on developing it with people you trust.

Challenge: Ask God to give you discernment. Make a list of trusted people in your life who you’re comfortable enough with to ask your great questions. They’ll help you determine which influences are worth following.