Proper Discernment

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How do you recognize what is True vs. what is false, what is Right vs. what is wrong, what is God's Will?

How do you decide what is Truth vs. what is false, what is Right vs. what is wrong, what is God's Will?

1. Do you use your feelings? Meaning, if you feel bad in any way about something then you “know” it’s false and bad? If you feel good in any way about something then you “know” it’s True and Good?

2. If you feel or think that the specific thought you are thinking about or saying in the moment is True, then you can “know” it’s the Truth?  If you feel or think that the specific thought you are thinking about or saying in the moment is false, then you can “know” it is false?

3. Do you only use your “God given intellect”?

If you do any one or combination of the above, then you believe that you are the final authority on what is True and false and Right from wrong, and NOT God. This means that you act like you are God.

This means that you are going to think you are always right about everything that you are attracted to, like, dislike, want/desire, expect, believe, think and feel and everyone else who disagrees with you is wrong.  This is the sins of pride, stubbornness, foolishness, and thinking you know it all / know enough.

This means that you are never going to want to listen to anyone else who disagrees with you.  You are never going to want to learn any Truth from anyone else but yourself.  These mean you will be very ignorant and know little moral Truth in comparison to those who don’t act like you and in comparison to the amount of the moral Truths that exist.  And you will project your low level of functioning onto everyone else.

This also means that you are failing to check with Jesus Christ directly, you are NOT listening to Him, you are NOT doing proper discernment, and you are NOT checking with His directly appointed Church authority as proven to exist through historical facts, nor are you checking with the writings of His holy saints.

This means that you have NO friendship with Jesus Christ or you have only a poor imaginary fake friendship with Him.

This means that you have some kind of idolatrous vice (all are sinful) that you are using to try and escape or avoid your emotional suffering, which has become your “god” and replacement for going to Jesus Christ in daily repentance, and seeking self-awareness and Truth of all the ways you are wrong.

You believe and act like you are your own final authority on what is True and false when you fail to directly ask Jesus Christ and fail to listen for the answer(s) and fail to ask for external confirmation as to whether what you think you “hear”, i.e. the truth you think you recognize or receive, is from you, an evil spirit, or from God, your guardian angel, etc.

You believe and act like you are your own final authority on what is True and false when you fail to allow God to teach you Truth through other people and you fail to know how to discern directly with God as to whether or not what people write or say is actually True or is false.

You believe and act like you are your own final authority on what is Truth and false if you fail to believe that God directly appointed a final authority apostolic magisterial Church, in order through whom to speak and teach us moral Truth and the Truth about Himself.

And if you don’t know how to listen to God speak to you and you don’t know how to correctly discern who is speaking or whether something is True or false, then you are believing and acting like you are your own final authority on what is True and false. And it’s your responsibility to ask God to teach you how, and to send you to the right people who know how to teach you.

When you act like your own final authority, then you cannot recognize and accept many moral Truths, you cannot know who God is in many ways, you cannot have a real friendship with Jesus Christ, you cannot recognize and accept many of your own sins, and you cannot be morally right frequently, and you cannot be as loving of a person as you think you are.

FOR THOSE STILL REJECTING TRUTH...

4. Do you fail to repent daily of "pride", "selfishness", "fear/worry", "complaining", "perfectionism", "hypocrisy", "unacceptance of reality", "blaming of feelings", and then ask to be filled with: Humility, Wisdom, Truth, Knowledge, Understanding, Courage, Strength of Will, Acceptance, Gratitude, Patience, Justice, Mercy, Self-control, and Kindness/Charity?

5. Do you fail to ask the Holy Spirit daily to make you self-aware of all of your sins and repent daily of them, and ask Him how to recognize all sin?

6. Do you fail to spend daily quality time with Jesus (in the time and ways He has shown you), asking Him to feel His presence, Love, know Him and Love Him, in order to meet your psychological / spiritual / emotional needs and become more like Him?

7. Do you fail to blame yourself for all of your psychological emotions and feelings, fail to blame others for all of their psychological emotions and feelings, and fail to ask Jesus to show you which negative emotions are sins?

8. Do you fail to daily ask Jesus to show you what Idolatries you are committing by using or abusing for coping, distraction, and instant gratification the things of the material world, including people and yourself, rather than spending daily quality time with Jesus to become self-aware of, repent of, receive Truth/Love/Virtues to replace your sinful emotional sufferings?

For whichever you are failing to do...

"Jesus I'm sorry I don't want to ___, please heal me, fill me with Your Graces, Virtues, Love, and Truth to replace this, show me Your Truth about this, Thank You Jesus for Your Healing, Truth, and Love."