Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.
Nehemiah 6:12-13
The power of discernment shows you what is unseen, helps you to hear what is unsaid, and senses what is hidden. A leader’s success or failure is dependent on knowing whom to trust, whom to question and what data to follow. Nehemiah, through the use of his trained senses and relationship with God, developed strong powers of discernment.
The muscle of discernment can be built. One of the most powerful yet intangible gifts a leader must develop is discernment. When making decisions, I will often ask God, “Please show me what is unseen.” Knowledge, experience, and nudges from the Divine all play a role in a leader’s ability to listen, learn, and lead by leveraging their intuitive senses. Powers of discernment can come from sources that include:
- A word of knowledge about a situation. Sometimes God will whisper an insight about a situation or person, pose a question in your mind, or give you a gut feeling causing your “Spidey senses” to tingle.
- Your strengths and former experience. In “The Law of the Sixth Sense” from PERSUADE, I discuss a number of ways in which a person can develop their intuitive sense. A snap judgment call can be the result of experience, a memory becoming present for no reason but to plant a feeling or picture in your subconscious (your spirit), or a burden you feel to act in a certain way, call someone, or hit “pause” on a decision you are contemplating.
- Messengers that come into your life. The list of ways in which God can give you a warning or push you in one direction or the other is endless. Being committed to God’s way (best over better) and putting people over personal gain are character-building behaviors to ensure you are receiving the right signals to help your powers of discernment.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- Whom do you rely on for sound counsel?
- Can you remember a time when you trusted the right or wrong person? What was the outcome?
- How can you tell when someone is giving you sound advice or leading you astray?
Your muscle of discernment can be developed to see what is unseen, to hear what is unspoken, and to sense what God senses.
