Discernment comes from the Latin word discernere, which means "to separate", "to distinguish", "to determine", "to sort out". In classical spirituality, discernment means identifying what spirit is at work in a situation: the Spirit of God or some other spirit. Discernment is "sifting through" our interior and exterior experiences to determine their origin. Discernment helps a person understand the source of a call, to whom it is directed, its content, and what response is appropriate. Discernment also involves learning if one is dodging a call, is deaf to a call, or is rejecting a call. (from Listening Hearts)
Lord, give us discernment.
