In the 1940s, Switzerland manufactured 80 per cent of the world’s watches. Then in the 1960s, when an inventor presented a concept for a new type of watch to the leaders of a Swiss company, they rejected it. All the other Swiss companies he approached did the same. They lived by the philosophy, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ Believing that his design had merit, the inventor took it to a company in Japan. The name of the company was Seiko, the design of the watch was digital, and guess what? Sales of digital watches soon outstripped the traditional analogue watches. One discernment-driven decision can change the course of your entire life and bless others.

John Maxwell says, ‘Smart leaders believe only half of what they hear. Discerning leaders know which half to believe.’ Here are two things you need to know about God-given discernment:

(1) It’s shaped by Scripture. ‘For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word… But solid food belongs to those who are of full age [spiritually mature], that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.’ (Hebrews 4:13–14 NKJV)

(2) It’s sharpened by use. The more you use it, the more seasoned you become. Will you sometimes make mistakes when it comes to exercising discernment? Yes, but like any muscle, the more you flex it, the stronger it grows. And here is an additional thought: the Bible refers to ‘discerning of spirits’, or attitudes and motivations (see 1 Corinthians 12:10). What a great advantage to have in life!