The Power of Spiritual Discernment

Wisdom- & Spiritual discernment - is the faculty by which we appraise, evaluate, and discriminate in order to make correct decisions.  It is our ability to maintain enlightened objectivity about our life and our world.                                                                              --  Metaphysic II, Unity School of Religious Studies.

The faculty of Spiritual discernment can be exercised in two ways - from sense perception or spiritual understanding.  If its actions are based on sense perception its conclusions are fallible and often condemnatory.  If they are based on spiritual understanding, they will guide as accurately. 

Discernment is a mental act of evaluation through comparison or contrast.  Intellectual man always judges his fellow man. Divine discernment is of spiritual consciousness.  Spiritual discernment is a divine power operating within us, whose expression comes through “the small voice within, the inner voice of Spirit. ” Through this inner voice we come into a larger-greater more accurate realization of ourselves. We also call this faculty discrimination.  It is that quality in us which carefully weighs a question and draws a conclusion.  When we awaken to the reality of our divinity, the light begins to break on us from within, and we know the Truth; this is the quickening of our Discernment faculty. 

The prevailing tendency of judgment is toward caution, fearfulness, criticism, and condemnation, when it draws its conclusions from the effect side of existence.  We should therefore faithfully seek the spiritual aspect of this faculty, the guidance and good discernment of spiritual light and understanding.               The Revealing Word & Dynamics for Living

Wisdom, justice, discernment are grouped under one head in spiritual consciousness.  Intuition, judgment, wisdom, justice, discernment, pure knowing, and profound understanding are natural to man.  All these qualities, and many more, belong to every one of us by and through his divine sonship.

Wisdom is intuitive knowing; spiritual intuition; the voice of God within as the source of our understanding; mental action based on the Christ Truth within.  Wisdom includes discrimination, intuition, and all the departments of mind that come under the head of knowing.  This "knowing" capacity transcends intellectual knowledge.  Spiritual discernment always places wisdom above the other faculties of the mind and reveals that knowledge and intelligence are auxiliary to understanding.