124 Discernment Quotes

Following is our list of discernment quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about spiritual discernment.

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Famous Discernment Quotes

Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right. — Charles Spurgeon

The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil. — Marcus Tullius Cicero

The first principle of solid wisdom is discretion, without it all the erudition of life is merely bagatelle. — Norm MacDonald

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. — Tacitus

Curation is more than packaging-it is to help readers [discern] what is important in the world. — Maria Popova

Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdom's root. — Robert Burns

The feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom. — Mencius

An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit. — American Proverbs

Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are. - George Santayana

Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are. — George Santayana

your judgement judges you and defines you — Jean-Paul Sartre

Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done. — Seamus Heaney

The best vision is insight. - Malcolm Stevenson Forbes

The best vision is insight. — Malcolm Stevenson Forbes

Wise leaders generally have wise counselors because it takes a wise person themselves to distinguish them. — Diogenes

Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports. — Sun Tzu

One who thinks and reflects develops his foresight and vision. — Ali ibn Abi Talib

Short Discernment Quotes

  • Don’t be so in love that you can’t tell when it’s raining. — African Proverbs
  • Employ what resonates, discard the rest. — Rich Roll
  • One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple. — Jack Kerouac
  • Don’t mistake chicken dung for an egg. — American Proverbs
  • The stupid might want to help you, but they just ended up hurting you. — Arabic Proverbs
  • Examine what is said, not who is speaking. — African Proverbs
  • People who try to look smart by pointing out obvious exceptions actually signal the opposite. — Naval Ravikant
  • Be fast to extend trust and even faster to take it back. — Alex Hormozi
  • Emulate what is good; ignore what is bad. — Filipino Proverbs
  • Watch the faces of those who bow low. — Polish Proverbs

Discernment Image Quotes

Spirit Of Discernment Quotes

The rarest things in the world, next to a spirit of discernment, are diamonds and pearls. [Fr., Apres l'esprit de discernement, ce qu'il y a au monde de plus rare, ce sont les diamants et les perles.] — Jean De La Bruyere

Some people think they have discernment when actually they are just suspicious. Suspicion comes out of the unrenewed mind; discernment comes out of the renewed spirit. — Joyce Meyer

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love. — Amy Carmichael

When a man’s heart is right with God the mysterious utterances of the Bible are spirit and life to him. Spiritual truth is discernible only to a pure heart, not to a keen intellect. It is not a question of profundity of intellect, but of purity of heart. — Oswald Chambers

I think it is not very difficult to discern by the duties and converses of Christians, what frames their spirits are under. Take a Christian in a good frame, and how serious, heavenly, and profitable, will his converses and duties be! what a lovely companion is he during the continuance of it! — John Flavel

The Holy Spirit gives liberty to the Christian, direction to the worker, discernment to the teacher, power to the Word, and fruit to faithful service. He reveals the things of Christ. — Billy Graham

The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. — Paul the Apostle

The spirit of a people, its cultural level, its social structure, the deeds its policy may prepare—all this and more is written in its fiscal history, stripped of all phrases. He who knows how to listen to its message here discerns the thunder of world history more clearly than anywhere else. — Joseph A. Schumpeter

Nothing discernible to the eye of the spirit is more brilliant or obscure than man; nothing is more formidable, complex, mysterious, and infinite. There is a prospect greater than the sea, and it is the sky; there is a prospect greater than the sky, and it is the human soul. — Victor Hugo

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. — Richard G. Scott

Spiritual Discernment Quotes

When God moves, everybody will be blessed. If something is of the flesh, everybody will have a sick feeling. And if something is of the devil, it seems like the hair will stand up on your neck. That's a simple way everyone can judge, whether they've got any spiritual discernment or not. — Kenneth E. Hagin

If you could only keep quiet, clear of memories and expectations, you would be able to discern the beautiful pattern of events. Its your restlessness that causes chaos. — Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

It is easier to find guides, someone to tell you what to do, than someone to be with you in a discerning, prayerful companionship as you work it out yourself. This is what spiritual direction is. — Eugene H. Peterson

The person who sees the difficulties so clearly that he does not discern the possibilities cannot inspire a vision in others. — J. Oswald Sanders

As you meditate and become more spiritually attuned, you can better discern and recognize the sound of your higher self or the voice of God speaking to you through words, images, and sensations. — Jack Canfield

Discerning placement of a comma does not atone for a spiritual coma. — Paramahansa Yogananda

This latter day work is spiritual. It takes spirituality to comprehend it, to love it, to discern it. Therefore, seek the spirit in all you do. Keep it with you continually. That is our challenge. — Ezra Taft Benson

In all matters of eternal truth, the soul is before the intellect; the things of God are spiritually discerned. You know truth by being true; you recognize God by being like Him. — Frederick William Robertson

When we discern that people are not going on spiritually and allow the discernment to turn to criticism, we block our way to God. God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede — Oswald Chambers

Intelligence is not discernment and judgment or critical evaluation. — Jiddu Krishnamurti

Wisdom And Discernment Quotes

Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other. — Stephen Covey

The cacophony of contemporary popular culture makes it hard to discern the call of truth and wisdom. There is no area in which practicing asceticism is more important. — Rod Dreher

A process for discernment: God is my ultimate source of truth and wisdom, and dwells forever at the center of my being. Therefore, any thought, emotion, or action that takes me further from my center can be neither truthful, nor wise. — Bill Crawford

The simple power of prayer can save us all kinds of time and trouble if we will ask God to give us wisdom and discernment in our relationships. — Joyce Meyer

It is scarcely credible to what degree discernment may be dazzled by the mist of pride, and wisdom infatuated by the intoxication of flattery. — Samuel Johnson

Wisdom is not book learning but, rather, a quality or state of knowing what is true or right coupled with the judgment to discern constructive action. Wisdom is the insight and intuition contained in the proverbial still, small voice that only a quiet mind can hear and know. — Sue Thoele

Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other. It embraces judgment, discernment, comprehension. It is a gestalt or oneness, and integrated wholeness. — Stephen Covey

I love unique platforms in order to do your best to stand for your faith as long as it's not something that is hurtful or negative. I welcome that opportunity. It's always fun. But you do have to use as much wisdom and discernment as you can. — Stephen Baldwin

When we have an inner initiation into pure love, we are in contact with our true nature. Judgment of ourselves and others disappears. Compassionate, discerning wisdom then enters the equation in all of our relationships. — Michael Beckwith

Once a person is able to achieve true singlemindedness in his practice and smash apart the old nest... into which he has settled... Wisdom immediately appears... and the all-discerning Fivefold Eye opens wide. — Hakuin Ekaku

The Power Of Discernment Quotes

Organizational effectiveness does not lie in that narrow minded concept called rationality. It lies in the blend of clearheaded logic and powerful intuition — Henry Mintzberg

[The disarming of citizens] has a double effect, it palsies the hand and brutalizes the mind: a habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral [force]; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the cause of their oppression. — Joel Barlow

Only if we grant power to something can it have power over us. It becomes a serving and sustaining potency when we again are able to place it into the realm where it belongs, instead of submitting to it. — Jean Gebser

Discernment is a power of the understanding in which few excel. Is not that owing to its connection with impartiality and truth? for are not prejudice and partiality blind? — Sir Fulke Greville

The Supreme end of education is expert discernment in all things -- the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit. — Samuel Johnson

A habitual disuse of physical forces totally destroys the moral; and men lose at once the power of protecting themselves, and of discerning the cause of their oppression. — Joel Barlow

We are praised or blamed, as the one or the other may be expedient, for displaying to advantage our power of discernment. — Friedrich Nietzsche

Give us, we pray, the power to discern clearly right from wrong, and allow all our words and actions to be governed thereby, and by the laws of this land. Especially we pray that our concern shall be for all the people regardless of station, race, or calling. — Dwight D. Eisenhower

People should not expect the state to protect them from fraudsters. If we do, we get into the habit of neglecting our own powers of intellectual discernment. — Julian Baggini

But, perhaps, the flatterer is not often detected; for an honest mind is not apt to suspect, and no one exerts the power of discernment with much vigour when selflove favors the deceit. — Samuel Johnson

Prayer And Discernment Quotes

God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. — Oswald Chambers

Beloved, there are heights in experimental knowledge of the things of God that the eagles discerning eye and philosophical thought have never seen...God alone can take us there, but the chariot in which He takes us up and the fiery steeds that pull the chariot, are prevailing prayers. — Charles Spurgeon

Heaven and God are best discerned through tears; scarcely perhaps are discerned at all without them. The constant association of prayer with the hour of bereavement and the scenes of death suffice to show this. — James Martineau

‎"A humble and prayerful person will find a thousand things in the Bible, which the proud student will utterly fail to discern." ~ J.C. Ryle — J. C. Ryle

Judgment Discernment Quotes

The fundamental qualities for good execution of a plan is first; intelligence; then discernment and judgment, which enable one to recognize the best method as to attain it; the singleness of purpose; and, lastly, . . . stubborn will. — Ferdinand Foch

The practice of discernment is part of higher consciousness. Discernment is not just a step up from judgment. In life's curriculum, it is the opposite of judgment. Through judgment a man reveals what he needs to confront and learn. Through discernment, one reveals what he has mastered. — Glenda Green

Judgment is discernment on a bad hair day. — Mary Anne Radmacher

To be forward to praise others implies either great eminence, that can afford to, part with applause; or great quickness of discernment, with confidence in our own judgments; or great sincerity and love of truth, getting the better of our self-love. — William Hazlitt

Discernment is the son of good judgment and the father of self-control. When mixed with an already clear conscience, the ability to read the true motives of a critic keeps one's conscience both clear and at ease. — Criss Jami

The discerning realize that it is not realistic to expect perfection in others when none of us is perfect...Meaningful progress can be made only when all of us can cast the motes out of our own eyes, leave judgment to our Father in Heaven, and lose ourselves in righteous living. — Marvin J. Ashton

The firmness with which the people have withstood the late abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment between them. — Thomas Jefferson

Public opinion is the judgment of the incapable many opposed to that of the discerning few. — Elbert Hubbard

One thing I learned in sobriety is to stop being judgmental, to always be discerning. When I drive, that will be my bumper sticker. — Kevin Sessums

How violently do rumors blow the sails of popular judgments! How few there be that can discern between truth and truth-likeness, between shows and substance! — Philip Sidney

People Writing About Discernment

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Read quotes by American Proverbs

American Proverbs
quotes on american, culture and freedom

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Read quotes by African Proverbs

African Proverbs
quotes on life, wisdom and water

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Read quotes by Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon
quotes on prayer, faith and life

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Read quotes by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero
quotes on law

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Read quotes by Norm MacDonald

Norm MacDonald
quotes on love, life and death

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Read quotes by Tacitus

Tacitus
quotes on nero, agrippina younger and tiberius

220 1865

More Discernment Quotes

Pay attention to the people God puts in your path if you want to discern what God is up to in your life. — Henri Nouwen

Men have such a good opinion of themselves, of their mental superiority and intellectual depth; they believe themselves so skilled in discerning the true from the false, the path of safety from those of error, that they should be forbidden as much as possible the perusal of philosophic writings. — Al-Ghazali

Criticism is the windows and chandeliers of art: it illuminates the enveloping darkness in which art might otherwise rest only vaguely discernible, and perhaps altogether unseen. — George Jean Nathan

There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this. — Miyamoto Musashi

We were alone. Where, I could not say, hardly imagine. All was black, and such a dense black that, after some minutes, my eyes had not been able to discern even the faintest glimmer. — Jules Verne

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being. — Carl Jung

I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord's timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them. — David A. Bednar

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

'The Observer's Very Short List' is another example of how the Observer Media Group offers its readers the most cutting-edge information, available in a variety of platforms and written by an editorial staff known for its distinctive and discerning style and wit. — Jared Kushner

We’ve basically crawled every scientific publication on healthspan and lifespan – something like 2,000 publications. And we take each study, apply a number of criteria to it – some are animal models, so we make that discernment – and then we prioritize. — Bryan Johnson

A discerning eye needs only a hint, and understatement leaves the imagination free to build its own elaborations. — Russell Page

Tolerance once meant that we could use our reason to discern good and evil in open debate. Today tolerance has been used to call good evil and evil good. — Charles Colson

Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment - that which they cannot anticipate. — Sun Tzu

Opinions are like nipples, everybody has one. Some have firm points, others are barely discernible through layers, and some are displayed at every opportunity regardless of whether the audience has stated "I am interested in your nipples" or not. — David Thorne

Leaders are people who can discern the inevitable and act accordingly. When people talk about business acumen, discernment is a big part of it. It's a bit like gut instinct, but a little more developed. — Donald Trump

The victim of mind-manipulation does not know that he is a victim. To him, the walls of his prison are invisible, and he believes himself to be free. — Aldous Huxley

Character is revealed in the power to discern the suffering of other people when we ourselves are suffering; in the ability to detect the hunger of others when we are hungry; and in the power to reach out and extend compassion for the spiritual agony of others when we are in the midst of our own spiritual distress. — David A. Bednar

This is a time when all of God's people need to keep their eyes and their Bibles wide open. We must ask God for discernment as never before. — David Jeremiah

Truth is not to be found either in traditional capitalism or in Marxism. Each represents a partial truth. Historically, capitalism failed to discern the truth in collective enterprise and Marxism failed to see the truth in individual enterprise. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

The practice of the Christian life consists of the discernment of (the seeing and hearing), and the reliance upon (the reckless and uncalculating dependence), and the celebration (the ready and spontaneous enjoyment) of the presence of the Word of God in the common life of the world. — William Stringfellow

What is sweet in the mouth is not always good in the stomach. — Danish Proverbs

Because only slow food can teach us the things that really matter - care, beauty, concentration, discernment, sensuality, all the best that humans are capable of, but only if we take the time to think about what we're eating. — Alice Waters

True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best. — Sinclair B. Ferguson

Let me see if I've got this Santa business straight. You say he wears a beard, has no discernible source of income and flies to cities all over the world under cover of darkness? You sure this guy isn't laundering illegal drug money? — Tom Armstrong

We are taught that the body is an ignorant animal intelligence dwells only in the head. But the body is smart. It does not discern between external stimuli and stimuli from the imagination. It reacts equally viscerally to events from the imagination as it does to real events. — Gloria E. Anzaldúa

We should not confuse complete faith in God with complete faith in our ability to discern God's voice. — John Corvino

The kinds of nets we know how to weave determine the kinds of nets we cast. These nets, in turn, determine the kinds of fish we catch. — Elliot W. Eisner

Eighteen might look at thirty-four through a rising mist of adolescence, but twenty-two would see thirty-eight with discerning clarity. — F. Scott Fitzgerald

Mankind may amuse themselves with theoretic systems of liberty... but we can only discern its true value by the practical and wretched effects of slavery. — Mercy Otis Warren

When eating choose the place, when playing choose your friends. — Vietnamese Proverbs

If the discernment of value could be reduced to an algorithm and taught, then everybody would be Warren Buffett. — Howard Marks

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