Bible reading: They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way. Isaiah 56:11

Discerning is having spiritual guidance, the ability to discern is one of the leadership skills, the bible explains to us that the gift of discernment is what separates the true from the false leaders, to have discernment is to perceive with the mind the correct path. Although discernment is a capacity that we practice every day, we all separate good and evil at some point and choose; discernment as such is a spiritual gift from God: "They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain.", Isaiah 56:11.

Generally people think that discerning means "doing calculations" or "calculating". Calculating is done by anyone, even the most stupid does that.
In the false leaders, the false shepherds, discernment is not spiritual but carnal, that is, it is not subject to the truth but to their own interest, their own gain, each one takes his own path as it suits him: "If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.", Matthew 15:14.
Discerning means something else in the bible and has to do with a special sense for making decisions, and this is where we enter the area of hunches, premonitions, intuitions; and some have more sensitivity than others. For example the famous fifth sense of women.
The gift of discernment is presented to us as an aid when the truth is hidden, prophets and oracles guided by providence show us correct discernment in different situations, Joseph in the book of Genesis reveals to Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams and God's judgments. In the Gospels, King Herod sets a trap for the three wise men, with the intention to assassinate Jesus and God reveals the danger to the wise men in their dreams and thus they avoid the trap (Matthew 2:1-12).
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