A Prayer For Discernment To Know What True and Helpful During These Complicated Times

 So many questions swirl around us don’t they?  There’s hardly a conversation we have these days but that there are a wide variety of opinions about government actions or inaction, vaccination proponents or anti-vaxxers.  Locally I don’t think we have a week go by that we don’t have a demonstration against some issue.  Some of them seem valid to  me and others seem like folks are “beating a dead horse” and just inconveniencing innocent people as they tie up traffic and police resources with their gatherings and marches. 

There is something deep in the heart of all of us to know and do the right thing.  God has created within all of us a desire for truth – knowing God and God’s ways for human life.  That’s a foundational part of being human.  It can get clouded by certain issues that we get passionate about or an obsession with attention that can come from things like protest movements.  Self interest and personal comfort are huge challenges to allowing ourselves to be conscious of what our heart is seeking. 

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11

When God created us He gave humans free will to choose to love and obey Him.  Spiritually discerning people have the capacity to separate and sift what is good from what is best, based on their knowledge of God and His ways.  People with discernment do the right thing in each situation.

How can we get discernment?  What do we do with it when we get it during these complicated times? 

Discernment for daily living comes as the result of the God’s Holy Spirit living and working in our lives.   Through His Word, as recorded in the Bible, God invites us to know Him intimately.  His desire is that we know His character and His ways so we can build a happy and safe life.  Through the wisdom God gives and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God will help us discern the plans He has for our lives. 

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. Hosea 14:9

God, we thank You for inviting us to come to know You personally through the saving work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.  Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit who has come to live in our hearts and who even today is teaching us truth about life that we could never know on our own. 

We need this discerning of truth so much especially during these difficult and complicated times. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You are revealing to us today about Yourself, Your ways, our lives, and how You want us to interact with others.

Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees.  I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. Psalm 119:124-125

Help us God to make clear assessments about Your revealed will in each situation we face today so our own thoughts and emotions don’t mislead us.  Thank You for Your promise to direct our steps as we submit ourselves to You.  Our desire is simply this, Lord.  We want to understand Your ways and act accordingly.  Help us to prayerfully live in each moment.  Amen