Spiritual discernment develops progressively over time. The Lord doesn’t simply pour knowledge into our head after we’re saved. It’s important to regularly seek His will and study the Word in order to know Him better. We should also ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand Scripture and obey what it says.
The church is another avenue of instruction. As the Bible is taught and explained, we gain a foundation of truth on which to build our life. But let’s not be satisfied with simply knowing the basics of the faith. By digging deeply into the Word and wrestling with more weighty issues, we’ll gain a vaster understanding of what the Lord desires and expects.
But no matter how much information we accumulate, discernment is produced only by putting into practice what we’ve learned. It does no good to sit in church week after week without ever applying the scriptural principles taught there.
Spiritual maturity is measured not by what we know but by how faithful we are to apply what we know. It’s through our obedience that God trains us to discern good and evil—then we can live wisely and righteously.
And that’s the Memo
By In Touch Ministries