Discernment: Distinguishing the Real from the Phony

Scripture also speaks of “discernment of spirits” and encourages us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” This aspect of discernment helps us to distinguish the real from the phony, the true from the false, in the world “out there” but also in the interior world of our thoughts and motives. It is possible for us to become so attuned to subtle spiritual dynamics that we are able to distinguish between what is good (that which moves us toward God and his calling on our life) and what is evil (that which draws us away from God).