I'm reading a really interesting book, "The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment". A real "thinker" as I call it. So much so I may have to re-read it to pick up all the little nuggets I missed the first time. The author, Tim Challies, defines spiritual discernment as the skill of thinking biblically about life, and attempts to teach us that this is a discipline, not a God given talent. I'm in chapter 6 of 10, so I still believe the lightbulb will go on and I'll be enlightened in the end. Or maybe after the 2nd reading...I'm a little slow.
The ultimate definition of spiritual discernment, as defined by the author, is "the skill of understanding and applying God's Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong". Wow, I'm all about that! This is a crazy world, and there are so many influences trying to tell you that everything is shades of gray, that we should be tolerant, etc. etc. No more black and white, baby. But I don't think that is true. Certain truths are infalible, right there in the Good Book, and we as Christians must seek them out and stand by them.
If you are a Christian, you know by now it's not an easy thing to be. But it tells you it won't be easy, right the in that same Good Book! So we understand that, yes? We aren't looking for easy anymore, we are looking for enlightenment, for understanding of what God would have us do while we are here on this Earth to serve him, please him, and help others to find that same path. And while we also know we will never become omniscient, we thinkers strive for it. Do I think I'm smarter than any one else? Definitely no. But I spend a great deal of time thinking...maybe that's why I have so many headaches!
There are many references in the Bible telling us to "cling to what is good, avoid what is evil".
The challenge is to understand what IS good and what IS evil. To do that, we must study The Word.
"TEST everthing; hold fast to what is good, abstain from every form of evil" is the challenge. ~1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
