“Pray for discernment.”
You’ve probably heard that phrase over and over in Christian circles. It’s often said when someone is unsure about a relationship, a church, a job opportunity, or spiritual warfare. But here’s the truth that many don’t realize:
You don’t just “pray” for discernment—you grow into it.
So why do people keep praying for discernment?
The honest answer: ignorance.
🔍 What Most People Don’t Understand
Many believers think discernment is something God simply hands over because they asked for it. But true discernment isn’t a quick fix or a one-time request it’s the result of spiritual maturity and an intentional walk with God.
Even people who aren’t walking with the Lord love to say, “Use discernment,” as if it’s just a matter of common sense or a gut feeling. But here’s the truth:
Discernment is spiritual.
It is not suspicion. Suspicion is rooted in fear, trauma, or human reasoning discernment is rooted in the Spirit of God.
Suspicion causes division. Discernment brings clarity and truth. You can’t confuse emotional triggers or assumptions with divine insight.
✨ What Is Discernment Really?
Discernment is the ability to spiritually perceive what is true, what is false, what is of God, and what is not. It’s not just mental judgment it’s spiritual revelation.
Hebrews 5:14 says:
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
That means discernment must be trained, developed, and matured over time.
Even with that, we have to remain humble because:
“For we know in part and we prophesy in part…” – 1 Corinthians 13:9
At some level, we’re not going to have discernment in full because we are still human. If we knew everything, we wouldn’t need Jesus. But that’s why being led by the Holy Spirit is so powerful it gives us access to God’s wisdom, guidance, and the ability to know right from wrong in the moments that matter.
💡 How Does Discernment Grow?
True discernment is a byproduct of:
• Spending time in the Word of God
• Being led by the Holy Spirit
• Obeying God when He speaks
• Dying to the flesh and walking in the Spirit
• Learning through experience and testing
It grows when we stop rushing God and start walking with Him.
🛐 So Should We Still Pray for It?
Yes, however with understanding. Instead of begging for a spiritual shortcut, ask God to shape your heart and increase your maturity:
“Lord, help me to recognize Your voice. Teach me Your ways. Grow me in maturity so I can discern rightly. Help me to die to the flesh and be led by Your Spirit.”
That’s how true discernment is born through intimacy and surrender.
🔓 Let me tell you something
People pray for discernment out of ignorance, thinking it’s something God just drops on you. But discernment is spiritual, not emotional. It’s learned, not assumed. And it’s activated, not guessed.
Discernment is your inheritance as a believer but you must mature into it.
It comes by walking with the Holy Spirit, not just quoting Scripture.
And even with discernment, you will still need Jesus because we only know in part.
So stop just praying for discernment.
Start growing into it.
And remember: suspicion is not discernment.
Obedience is.
LET’S DIG DEEPER REAL QUICK: 👇🏾👇🏾
🔍 The Word “Discernment” in Hebrew
In the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), the word “discernment” is most often tied to the Hebrew word:
בִּינָה (Binah)
Pronunciation: bee-NAH
Root word: בּוּן (bin) — meaning to understand, perceive, or consider
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✨ Definition of Binah:
• Understanding
• Insight
• Perception
• The ability to distinguish between
• The power to separate mentally (what is true from what is false, or right from wrong)
Biblically, binah is not just intellectual knowledge—it’s spiritual insight that comes from God. It refers to deep inner understanding that goes beyond facts. It’s a wisdom that discerns God’s will, timing, motives, and truth.
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📖 Example in Scripture:
Proverbs 2:3–5 (ESV):
“Yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding (binah),
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.”
This shows that binah (discernment) is something you seek, value, and grow into, not something instantly given.
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🔥 Spiritual Takeaway
• Discernment is rooted in wisdom and intimacy with God.
• It involves separating good from evil, not just detecting danger.
• It’s not about suspicion or feelings—it’s about divine understanding and clarity.
• Discernment grows with binah—a heart trained by the Word and guided by the Spirit.
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