Did you say faith? Or answers to your prayers? Thanksgiving? Continuous prayer? Incorrect! [for today’s post] Find the correct answer below…..

Last Saturday, I went to study in the library not too far from my home, it had just started snowing [little icy rain] so I presumed it was not going to gat any worse. I did not even check the weather forecast [I have just given up on checking weather forecast these days, I just make sure I am wearing very warm clothes and the proper boots]. As I sat in the library, I looked out the window and behold, the snow was quite heavy; it was not drops anymore. This time there were large chunks. I thought to myself that leaving the library now would make no sense, so I decided to pray:

“Lord, please let the snow stop when it’s time for me to go home. But if you won’t stop it [won’t because I know you can], please make a way for me to get home safely and swiftly. Amen!”

I finished my studying and the heavy snow had decreased, it was back to the little drops of snow [more like icy rain]. On my way to the bus stop, I stopped at a convenience store to buy Mentos droplets, just as I was making the payment, the man who had just purchased something before smiled at me and said:

“How are you?” he asked.

“I am great, thank you” I replied

“Do you live around this area? If you do, can I drop you off” He asked

“Yes, I live around this area. But I am fine, thanks for the kind gesture.” I replied with a smile.

We bade each other goodbye. Just then, a part of me thought that was the answer to my prayer. The car park is just by the store, I wouldn’t have had to walk to the bus stop. But I walked to the bus stop, in less than two minutes, the bus arrived and I was home safely and swiftly. My prayer was answered.

Most times when we talk about praying to God, we focus more on having faith when we pray. Don’t get me wrong, this is essential. Faith is the bedrock of answered prayers. Mark 11:24 KJV says:

Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall.

So having faith before, when and after we have prayed to God is important, but there is something else that is also important….

It is discernment– the act of having or showing ‘good’ judgment. ‘Good’ that is in line with the will of God, not good as man thinks it is, but more about a judgment that aligns with how God has purposed for a thing to occur.

If there is ever a time when we need discernment more than ever before, it is now. Today! Every day! Every Second! Every Minute! Every Hour! The above scenario made me realize how important discernment is, I had prayed for a swift and safe journey home in a bad weather, and then I am offered a ride. I could have given in; after all, I just prayed to God, He had sent an answer. I cannot predict what could have happened if I accepted the ride, apart from the fact that entering a stranger’s car is a no-no for me, it still looked like the answer to my prayer.

I asked God for a swift and safe journey home, and I got it; by walking to the bus stop and not having to wait for long, considering that when it snows heavily; transportation slows down too.

My story is just a preamble. It is not a story that deeply shows discernment, because I am sure most of us would have reacted the same way to such an offer.

For such a time as now, we cannot afford to be logical-thinking Christians; we need to be discerning Christians. See this example in the bible:

And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. Then said David, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. And the princes of the children said unto Hanun their lord, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? Has not David rather sent his servants unto you, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 2 Samuel 10:1-4 KJV

The above actions of Hanun resulted in a war, which could have been prevented if discernment was abounding. He asked no questions, nothing. He just took the princes’ words as truth.

I am not pointing fingers at anyone here, [C’mon He is speaking to me first, before you] the Holy Spirit is asking us this day: “How is your level of discernment?”, “How firm is it?” [Deep search]

Where there is no discernment, deception thrives. The devil is a master of look-alike. Deception is his forte. And it is not deception that can be clearly differentiated from the original; it is harder now with the physical eyes and logical brains.

But we are not to be shaken. We are to stand firm. We are to search for discernment just as we search for hidden treasures….

That’s right- if you make insight your priority, and won’t take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, Believe me, before you know it the fear of God will be yours; you’ll have come upon the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5 MSG

Insight [ability to gain an accurate and deep meaning of something/occurrence] from God is discernment. We cannot find discernment outside of the knowledge of God.

You have prayed for something, you get an answer; still ask God if it is His will [His answer]. Trust me, when I say- the devil provides pretty good answers too. [Experience talking]

Apart from discernment to know God’s answer, we need discernment to know/understand the timing of the manifestation of an answer to a prayer. This is also a crucial part of the after-prayer process. If we had this insight, we would stress less and rest in God. We read the story of Abraham and others in the bible and realize how the lack of discernment of the time of manifestation has serious consequences. I know it’s not as easy as A-B-C, especially when we feel like God is silent. But God speaks in the silence still, He is all-knowing and His timing is perfect.

How do you get discernment? Ask God for discernment. Never be too quick to attach the name of God in something you are not 100% convinced is from Him.

How will I know an answer is from God? Stay grounded in His word. Hunger and thirst after feeding your spirit with the word of God. Stay true to your convictions.

It is no longer a matter of ‘that is outright evil’ or ‘Is this bad for me, Lord?’ it is more like: “Is this good, the good in the will of God for me?”

I cannot over emphasize the times we are living in [it is a broken record on here already], but if there is any instrument we need today and forever, it is triple dose of discernment.

Lord we ask that you open our eyes of understanding, that we may be filled with hunger and thirst after your word, that we may not be found lacking discernment in all our endeavors. Amen!

I will love to hear your take on discernment too. Please share, in the comments’ section, experiences or even bible verses that have taught you [or is teaching you] the importance of discernment.

PT QUOTE OF THE DAY

Discernment enlarges our capacity to enter into the dimensions of God’s world.

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Princess Okechukwu!