The work of the Holy Spirit is an awesome mystery for us. Because of the way these spiritual gifts are given to us and manifested in individuals, it is better to provide a description rather than a narrow, one-size-fits-all definition. Like the spiritual gifts assessment, these descriptions are not definitive but paint a beautiful tapestry of the Holy Spirit at work in God’s people.
DISCERNMENT:
The spiritual gift that enables the receiver to seek God’s will and purpose and to apply that understanding to individual and collective situations affecting the faith community.
People with this gift are usually: perceptive, insightful, sensitive, intuitive, decisive, challenging, truthful.
Cautions for people with this gift: being harsh when confronting others instead of speaking truth in love; confirming perceptions before speaking.
Biblical references: John 16:6–15, Romans 9:1, 1 Corinthians 2:9–16
Adapted from Gifts for You: Opening Your Spiritual Gifts and used here with permission. Copyright © 2011 Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Written by Valora K Starr. www.womenoftheelca.org/filebin/pdf/resources/SpiritualGifts.pdf