Discernment: The ability to judge well.
A Girl Named Blake
I recently listened to episode 58 of Confessions of a Crappy Christian. The episode was titled Discernment Matters. It really got me thinking.
Blake addressed discernment from a Christian point of view and really diving into discerning the content we consume and evaluating what influencers are saying for true Biblical meaning vs. social opinion.
The episode was enlightening, to say the least.
What We Consume
We all consume so much content every day, especially on social media.
It is very easy to become overwhelmed and succumb to the comparison game.
This fact has been weighing heavy on my heart and I felt compelled to do an episode on it.
Here are my thoughts:
- All of us must read content and discern whether it is true, exaggerated, or false in its application to our individual lives.
- We must evaluate whether the content is providing value to our lives and/or our businesses.
- It is important to ask ourselves, is the content healthy, or is it causing us to compare ourselves and decrease our confidence and self-worth?
- It is important to ask whether or not the content makes us feel inspired and motivated, or is it dragging us down and making us feel unworthy, or less than the amazing individuals God has created us to be.
- We also must realize that the grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. Meaning, it may look like the influencers have near-perfect lives, but the reality is, there is something missing for them, or there is a skeleton in their closet too.
- We have to be aware that people are only posting the pieces of their lives that they want us to see.
- Some will allow themselves to be more vulnerable and in doing so are trying to show their dark side or weaknesses. I think in most cases they are not asking for sympathy but trying to help others. But, if this content is making you feel anxious or sad, or negative, it’s time to tune it out.
- Others are sharing things that none of us need to hear or see as it just makes us question our values and lifestyle.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that we cannot waste time comparing ourselves to others.
We each have unique gifts and unique talents. There are people that we are meant to serve and people we are not meant to serve.
Don’t compare what looks like to be busy and successful to what you are doing. You are doing and have exactly what God wants you to do and have. Nothing more, nothing less. To everything, there is a time and a season. Focus on your time, your life, your season, and not anyone else.
The key to all of this is discernment; to discern the meaning of the content for your life and only consume what is going to strengthen you, inspire you, or motivate you.
Remember
And remember, that just because the content is coming from someone who has thousands or millions of followers, that doesn’t mean that what they are saying it accurate, true, or applicable to your life.
Don’t just get on the bandwagon of following someone because everyone else is. Ask yourself if the messages align with your beliefs, your goals, and your dreams. If they do not, don’t waste your time and energy on the content.
Social media is meant to be just that, social. Therefore, make sure that it is fueling you in a way that makes you feel “social” – happy, relaxed, inspired, or motivated. And if it is not helping you grow as a person or in your business, don’t consume it.
Caution
Use caution, that’s all I’m asking. Asking myself these questions has helped me and I hope it helps you too.
Let me know your thoughts on discernment and how you’ve discerned the content you consume.
