If you've ever experienced a quiet moment under a tree, alone in a taxi cab sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or simply staring out of a window, you've probably found yourself pondering the eternal questions: "Who am I?" "What am I to do?" "When will something happen?" "Where am I supposed to go?" "Why me, Lord?" "How can I do this?"
The hard part about those moments is that it rarely seems as if something mind-blowing or earth-shattering comes. But what would happen if you kept asking those questions, over-and-over, like a meditation. Slowly, simply, peacefully, asking the same thing over and over until your self-talk stops, until your heart beats a little slower, until your eyes close, until your breathing becomes calm. What would happen if you let God in?
When we slow down, we can discern what God wants, what we need, and how to go about getting to the next. That's what the apostles did when they realized they needed someone to replace Judas who had killed himself after betraying Jesus. Read what it says in Acts 1:21-26.
"So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles."
They knew that God knows hearts. They trusted what He would bring to them. That's what discernment is. So, when you're faced with a life-changing moment; when you're faced with what seems like difficult circumstances; or when you simply don't have an answer: discern...discern...discern.
Get quiet and let God fill you.