The Power of Wisdom and the Gift of Discernment

The Power of Wisdom and the Gift of Discernment 

Written by: Yvika Arre Love

Wisdom from God and discernment will always play an important role in your walk with Him. As we grow in our relationship with God, we begin to understand that not every situation requires a reaction, not every disagreement requires an argument, and not every decision requires us to have control over the outcome.

There is a difference between responding out of our own understanding and responding through the wisdom of God. Human understanding often wants to defend, prove a point, or take control of a situation. But godly wisdom teaches us when to speak, when to remain silent, when to stand firm, and when to step back and allow God to have His way.

We see a beautiful example of this in the relationship between Abraham and Lot.

When Abraham and Lot experienced strife in Genesis 13, between their herdsmen because the land could not support all their livestock together. Rather than allowing the disagreement to grow into something greater, Abraham addressed the situation with wisdom and discernment.

Abraham said to Lot:

"Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren."— Genesis 13:8 (KJV)

Abraham addressed the matter and gave Lot the opportunity to choose which direction he would go. What stands out about Abraham's response is that he did not try to control Lot's decision. He did not tell him which land to choose, pressure him into making a particular decision, or attempt to manipulate the outcome. He gave Lot the freedom to choose and whatever resulted from that choice would be the consequence of Lot's own decision.

Lot looked toward the well-watered plains of Jordan and chose what appeared to be the better opportunity for himself. Abraham allowed him to make that decision without arguing or trying to change his mind.

There is a powerful lesson here: Sometimes wisdom means giving people the freedom to make their own choices, even when we may see things differently.

One of the greatest lessons we can learn from Abraham is that we are not responsible for controlling the decisions of others. We are responsible for how we respond, the choices we make, and the way we conduct ourselves before God.

There will be times when people make decisions that affect us. There will be moments when we disagree with their choices, question their direction, or even believe they are overlooking something important.

However, discernment helps us recognize that we cannot make decisions for everyone. We cannot force people to see what we see, understand what we understand, or choose what we believe is best.

Sometimes, the wisest thing we can do is step back. 

When we walk in the wisdom of God and exercise the gift of discernment, we begin to understand that peace is not found in controlling everything around us, but trusting the One who is in control.