As our bodies age, the requirements for staying healthy change. With life’s curveballs, a balanced diet often shifts from an ideal to a necessity. Weight management, cholesterol, heart health, energy levels—so much of it depends on the food we use to fuel our bodies.
With so many diet fads online, it can be hard to know what’s best for your specific needs. Sometimes we make drastic decisions—cutting out all carbs, eating only meat, or avoiding fats altogether. But in making those snap decisions, we often miss out on significant health benefits.
Take the avocado, for example. It’s a fatty, calorie-dense fruit. Someone might take one look and decide to avoid it altogether in an attempt to lose weight. However, a closer look reveals that, while avocados are high in fat, they are incredibly nutritious. Regular consumption supports heart health, promotes digestive regularity, and provides powerful antioxidants. It’s remarkable that something so calorie-dense and fatty can also contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Spiritual health
There is no life more fruitful and fulfilling than one in pursuit of God. Unfortunately, our human imperfections often gets in the way of this beautiful reality.
Many Christians who have spent significant time in the church report feeling hurt by their faith communities. As flawed and imperfect people, we can distort the truths of Jesus. It’s important to remember that the church—both its people and institutions—is not the same as God. Still, that distinction doesn’t lessen the pain. When hurt involves trust, faith, and one’s understanding of God, it cuts deeply.
As a result, some distance themselves from their faith communities—or, in some cases, walk away from God altogether. But just as cutting out entire categories of food is rarely beneficial for our physical health, removing God or community from our lives doesn’t benefit our spiritual health.
That said, we can’t settle for unhealthy spiritual practices. Just as we need discernment in shaping our diets, we need spiritual discernment as well.
Spiritual discernment
It’s easy to go with the flow and follow others when it comes to spiritual habits. However, following flawed people leads to flawed outcomes. This is where discernment becomes essential.
Spiritual discernment is a learned, grounded ability to recognize what leads toward truth, life, and God—and what does not.
It isn’t a switch you flip; it’s more like a muscle that strengthens over time. Through experience, reflection, and practice, you become more aware of patterns and better at recognizing what is off.
Here are some ways to practice discernment:
Alignment with Jesus
Discernment filters choices through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It asks: Does this reflect His love, humility, truth, and compassion? Or does it justify control, pride, or harm?
Discernment includes guidance from the Holy Spirit and is grounded in Scripture. We cannot discern truth if we are unfamiliar with its source. When we approach Scripture, we should set aside personal biases and external influences. The world should be filtered through Scripture—not the other way around.
Fruits of the Spirit
In today’s world, it’s not uncommon for non-believers to point out when Christians act in ways that seem “un-Christian.” While this can feel uncomfortable, it is sometimes valid. Believers must reflect the fruits of the Spirit. Truth is recognized by its fruit (Matthew 7:16).
Discernment asks: Does this situation or influence produce peace, growth, and goodness over time? Or does it create anxiety, confusion, shame, or control?
Not everything that appears good at first remains good. Discernment pays attention to patterns, not just first impressions.
Wise input
Discernment isn’t meant to happen in isolation; there is wisdom in seeking counsel (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22). While other people shouldn’t be your sole source of truth, seeking counsel from people who consistently demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit can provide clarity.
A trustworthy voice helps reveal blind spots without pressuring or controlling your decisions. Wise counsel can also help you slow down when facing urgent or fear-driven choices. Even so, all advice should be weighed against Scripture—especially if you’ve been hurt before.
Practice discernment
If you’ve been hurt by the church, discernment becomes even more important—and sometimes harder. You may second-guess yourself or feel unsure what to trust. That’s normal. In those cases, go slow, rebuild trust in your own perception, and be cautious of environments that discourage questions.
Just like we need discernment in our diets, we need discernment in our spiritual health, too. We need to embrace the “healthy fats” in our walk with God even while removing the unhealthy habits.
