What Is Discernment?
by Carolyn Brock
Discernment is one way we connect with God. Discernment is not just a series
of steps we take to seek direction from God (although it can involve this). It
is not a new program from International Church Headquarters or a replacement for
other ministries and programs. Discernment incorporates principles and processes
from Covenant Discipleship Groups and
Listening Circles, as well
as other aspects of Christian spirituality.
Discernment and the Spiritually Formed Disciple
Discernment is one part of spiritually centered discipleship that opens us to
God’s movement in our lives. It flows out of a larger commitment to yield our
attention, agendas, and actions to God.
Discernment is an ongoing process; a stance toward life. A discerning disciple
has the attitude or intention to seek the presence, wisdom, and compassion of
the Spirit at all times and in all dimensions of life.
Discernment fits within a broader pattern of ongoing spiritual formation and
discipleship development. This pattern is set in motion in our lives when we
wake up to our longing for God’s peace and healing and decide to follow Jesus’
way of discerning and doing God’s will.
Discernment and the Transformative Model of Jesus
The deepest, widest circle of meaning for our lives is God’s dream of beauty and
wholeness for the Creation (Zion, Shalom, Sacred Community). Jesus was “captured
by” God’s transformative vision. He relied on continuous relationship with God’s
Spirit as he touched, healed, proclaimed, confronted, and invited. Jesus’
redemptive ministry was discerned and empowered by a pattern of letting the
Spirit breathe through him, shaping his identity and being. Jesus took time to
listen to the Voice; to be fed and informed by Spirit’s wisdom through prayer,
solitude, silence, and scripture reflection.
The Spirit is promised as the source of wisdom, healing, and compassion for our
lives and ministry. Jesus’ model of transformation is to yield the whole self to
God and listen to (discern) the way the Spirit wants to form us into new people.
This is the way we get new hearts, new eyes, and new identities as God’s beloved
ones and Christ’s friends. This is the way we become disciples. Disciples become
disciples through the transforming influence of the Spirit on their bodies,
minds, and spirits. Discernment is a process of staying open to transformation
through inner and outer rhythms of the Christian spiritual life.
Discernment and the Rhythms of the God-Shaped Life
Jesus gave himself completely to becoming the form of God; living the God-shaped
life. He used both receptive and active spiritual practices to discern and obey
God’s will. Receptive spiritual practices help us create an open, quiet place in
which to hear what God may want to say to us. Silence, solitude, listening
prayer, reverent attention and trust all help open the Deep Self to discerning
the voice and touch of Spirit. Active spiritual practices are a response to
discernment. We hear and obey. Like Jesus, we carry the word and touch of Spirit
into acts of kindness, healing, justice, and proclamation. And as we go we
continue to listen, observe, and pay attention. We keep our eyes, ears, and
hearts open to what Spirit may be trying to do in the midst of our ministry; our
life; the lives of others.
As we follow the Jesus way and live the God-shaped life, discernment becomes a
way of being. Discernment as a spiritual discipline is supported by other
spiritual practices that keep the rhythm of receptive and active spirituality
alive and in harmony with the Spirit.
A Holistic Approach to Discernment
Discernment is one strand in the fabric of our discipleship. It cannot be picked
out and practiced without the surrounding support of personal and corporate
spiritual practice or relationships and communication within the faith
community. As we begin to explore discernment in Community of Christ it is
important to remember how it is connected to the larger context of spiritual
formation and discipleship development. The next two sections summarize things
to remember before beginning discernment work and principles for engaging in
discernment.
Things to Consider Before Beginning Discernment
- Discernment is one part of integrated spiritual formation and
discipleship development.
- Healthy discernment takes place as we open to the transformative
movement of the Spirit in our journey as disciples
- Engaging in holistic spiritual formation will increase our ability to
listen and our desire to discern.
- Training and resources are already available to foster the spiritual
formation and listening skills that are essential for discernment.
Covenant Discipleship Groups focus on
receptive and active spiritual practice.
Listening Circles teach
us to listen to each other in community with respect and openness.
- Covenant Discipleship Groups connect spiritual formation with discerning
mission. The Discernment Groups at World Conference were modeled closely on
the Covenant
Discipleship Group process. Each CDG session ends with a
discernment period focused on listening to God’s invitation to action,
service; ministry.
- Before beginning a separate process of discernment or discernment groups
we encourage you to explore Covenant Discipleship Groups
as a way of engaging your congregation in ongoing spiritual formation,
discernment, and transformative discipleship. Covenant Discipleship groups
have been designed to foster spiritual growth and discernment principles.
Listening Circle
information and training is also available to help us learn the art of
listening and processing information and ideas as a part of our discerning.
- Additional information and resources from other authors and
organizations are available and have been recommended to assist you and your
congregation in learning about discernment.
Discernment Principles
- Discernment is an ongoing attitude and practice of Christian
spirituality.
- Specific, structured discernment processes are used to discern God’s
will at particular points of need in which we desire to align our lives and
ministry more fully with God’s purposes.
- Discerning what it is we need to discern is a critical part of the
discernment process. Getting clear about the question is an important first
step.
- Discernment does not take place in a neat, orderly, linear fashion. We
may find ourselves being drawn back to scripture or pulled once more into
silent prayer as we stay open to God during the discernment process.
- Discernment includes head, heart, spirit, and body work. We think and
speak, we listen and wait, we feel and are moved, we have physical
sensations and responses. It is a whole person process.
- Discernment is based on the trust that God is the Source of all we are
and are trying to do. God is the One who already knows what we are seeking
and wants to communicate with us. Letting God be larger, wiser, and greater
than us is a key shift in our awareness. We think we know this and then find
ourselves still trying to figure it out in our own minds or worrying about
finding the one true solution.
- Intentional Group Discernment usually incorporates attention to the
following components:
- Setting a context of openness to the Spirit and maintaining that
focus
- Inviting participants to set aside personal agendas, conflicts, and
preconceived ideas about the outcome. This is called “Holy Indifference”
and does not mean we don’t care but rather that we trust God to know
more than we do and are willing to let go of the answers we already
have.
- Getting clear about the question to be discerned
- Reviewing and sharing relevant history and background related to the
issue or question
- Reflecting on relevant scriptures
- Intentional times of silent reflection and receptive listening
- Use of spiritual practices that encourage reflection and listening.
These may include silence, journaling, lectio divina (reflective reading
of scripture), imaging, centering prayer/breath prayer, and other
disciplines.
- Open, honest, non-judgmental sharing of insights and awarenesses
that come out of reflection times. Listening and relational skills are
critical at this point. All should be heard and listen with careful,
respectful attention.
- Art, music, movement, or poetry may also be used to open the
creative, intuitive gifts of the group to the impress of the Spirit.
Insight may come in word, image, color, shape, sound that inform the
larger process.
- Eventually the group will come to a tentative consensus and the idea
will be tested for its validity and completeness.
- More discernment will be necessary before the group feels it has
heard what was needed and has been faithful in receiving what the Spirit
offered.
- Response and implementation will be the hoped for results of the
discernment process.
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