Ecclesiastes 8:5b (NKJV): "And a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment."
The word 'discern' here is 'yada' in Hebrew, which means 'to separate/distinguish thoroughly'. Just as God gave Solomon a discerning heart (see 1 Kings 3:5-9), He wants you to have a discerning heart as well! This verse says you discern with your heart. Just as you serve God with your heart (Romans 1:9), you also hear God and discern with your heart! So, it's your heart that discerns, not your mind or emotions. And God can cause you to discern both time and judgment. 'Time' here means 'the timing and season for something', and 'judgment' here means 'a verdict, i.e. is it favorable or not favorable; what to do and what not to do; is this from the Lord or is this not from the Lord'.
In life, we are faced with so many 'choices' and 'options', e.g who to partner in business, who to associate with, which job to take, what investment decisions to make, which property to buy, and the list goes on. That's when a discerning heart comes in. Many Christians are wondering if a particular 'open-door' is from the Lord or not from the Lord. They may ask, "Will I end up being conned? Will I end up short-changed?" Many are in such real 'dilemma' of what to do and what not. What more we are living in a world where fraud cases are common, and 'conmen' are lurking everywhere! You definitely wouldn't want to fall into any pits or traps of the cheats! That's why a discerning heart is crucial in this end-time!
And the good news is the Holy Spirit is readily working in you and through you! Not only that, He is also working for you! Praise God for the Holy Spirit! He always leads you and guides you, never leaving you nor forsaking you! In fact, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is 'discerning of spirits' (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). Allow the Holy Spirit (who is all-knowing) to impress upon you, prompt you, and even caution you. Be open to His promptings and leading always. Some may move in this gift of 'discerning of spirits' more frequently than others, but this doesn't change the fact that He can move in every believer! And as a believer, you are definitely in!
The word 'discerning' in 1 Corinthians 12:10 also means 'to separate/distinguish thoroughly', similar to the one in Ecclesiastes 8:5b. Notice also the word 'spirits', 's' in small letter. It means any 'spirit'. Holy Spirit helps you to discern, i.e. 'to separate/distinguish thoroughly' what is from the Holy Spirit, and what is not, i.e. from other 'spirits' (e.g. demonic spirit, fleshly spirit, etc). In fact, the Holy Spirit can even help you to discern a 'lying spirit'! (see Acts 5:3)
By the way, this gift of 'discerning of spirits' is not meant for you to judge or condemn others, but to profit others (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Hebrews 5:14 speaks of your spiritual senses being exercised (trained) to 'discern'. The word 'discern' here is the same ('diakrisis' in Greek) as the one in 1 Corinthians 12:10. You know what? The Holy Spirit is in the midst of training you. So, if in the past, you have discerned wrongly before or have made mistakes (even major ones) before, condemn yourself no more. Take heart. He will cause you to recover. He will cause you to rise again. Even the foremost prophets who are greatly used by the Lord have made mistakes before! This is part of His training for His people. But His promises remain. He will surely nurture you. He will surely raise you up. He will surely train you. Your part is to allow Him!
Recently, I heard these words while praying and singing in the spirit during a prayer gathering:
"For I, the Lord, am in the midst of nurturing, raising, and training My people to be My 'spiritual sharpshooters' in this end-time!"
Hallelujah! Receive these words for your new season. Now thanks be to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ, and through you diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). Amen!
