Final Thoughts on Developing a Discerning Heart

Scripture — 1 Kings 3:7-9; Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

“Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”

Devotion

Today’s devotion is the last in a 17-part series I’ve called, “Developing a Discerning Heart.” In this devotion, I’d like to share with you several truths that have stood out to me as I’ve studied what Scripture says about discernment and how to do it wisely.

Now, what I really wish is that we could somehow all get together and share what we have learned through this devotional series. I suppose I could try sometime to host a Zoom meeting for communal conversation. But because Life for Leaders is read each day by thousands of people, I’m not sure that would work.

Let me say once again how much I appreciate hearing from you in response to the devotions I write, including those related to a discerning heart. Your emails with comments, questions, stories, and concerns are so helpful and encouraging to me. Thank you for writing! (I try to respond to each note and usually can do so. I apologize, however, for the times I drop the ball when it comes to responding.)

Okay, so what have I – and, I hope, we – learned from this series, “Developing a Discerning Heart”?

As you may recall, we began with Solomon, who, as a young man, felt overwhelmed by his royal duties and therefore asked God to give him “a discerning heart” for governing God’s people (1 Kings 3:7-9). God answered Solomon’s prayer, enabling him to discern with exceptional wisdom. Of course, we also saw that Solomon sometimes acted unwisely, especially in his relationships. But his example of asking God reminds us that God is the ultimate source of wisdom. God’s wisdom is relevant to all things, not just those we might label as “religious” or “spiritual.”

I first learned this lesson from Jon and Jennifer, members of my church in Irvine. They owned a growing business and shared with me some of their key business practices. #1 was prayer. They prayed about everything in their business, from products to personnel, from purchases to problems. They sought God’s guidance for everything. Their example educated and inspired me. (It still does!)

How does God help us in the matter of discernment? There isn’t one simple answer to this question. But let me suggest two different ways this can happen. First, we saw in our study of 1 Corinthians 12 that God, through the Holy Spirit, gives spiritual gifts that help us to discern well. These gifts include words of wisdom, prophetic words, and discernment of spirits. There are times when the Spirit gives us specific guidance for particular situations, whether we’re in church, at home, at work, in a business meeting, traveling, or you name it.

Besides situation-specific spiritual gifts, however, God can also help us develop a discerning heart. Remember, in biblical perspective, the heart is not mainly the seat of emotions. Rather, our hearts bring together thinking, feeling, and willing. If we know the Lord and grow in relationship with the Lord, if we seek God’s guidance and submit to God’s sovereignty, then, in time, our hearts will become more and more like the heart of God. We will think like God, feel like God, and decide like God.

I’ve known people with godly, discerning hearts. I expect you have also. For example, I remember a time when I invited Dallas Willard to speak at a church event. Among those who showed up for his lecture was a man who struggled with mental illness. He lived on the streets and often acted inappropriately. During a Q&A session, this man asked Dallas an odd question in a rather disrespectful way. But Dallas was unperturbed. In fact, he responded to the man with such kindness, such respect, and such wisdom that I thought at the time, “That’s what it must have been like to watch Jesus at work.” Today, I would say that Dallas had a discerning heart.

There are at least two other essential truths I have learned from this Bible study on discernment. First, Philippians 1:9-11 shows us that discerning what is best requires both knowledge and love. Discernment comes when our minds have been shaped by God’s truth in Scripture and our hearts shaped by God’s love in Jesus Christ, experienced through the Spirit and Christian community.

That points to the second truth. Though you should certainly seek God’s help for discernment and be open to how God will work in and through you, godly discernment isn’t an individualistic exercise. Rather, it happens best in the context of Christian community.

So, when you’re facing a major decision or a challenging situation, by all means, seek God’s help. Ask for divine wisdom. Be open to gifts of the Spirit. If you can, take time away so you can hear the Spirit’s still, small voice more accurately. But, in addition to being individually present to God, remember that discernment is a function of the church, the people of God, the body of Christ. Let others help you discern wisely and well.

Earlier in this series, I explained that the Hebrew phrase behind “a discerning heart” is literally “a listening heart.” As my Fuller colleague Scott Cormode has written, “Leadership Begins With Listening.” We will lead well, we will discern well when we learn to listen, first to God, and then to others. We will also learn to listen to our own hearts, to our desires and fears, to our hopes and joys, to our longings and losses. We will be aware of the biases and hesitations that might get in the way of godly discernment. We will give to God all that we are, seeking not only what’s best in a given situation, but also that which leads “to the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:11).

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Solomon Succeeds David as King (1 Kings 1-11).