Four Steps for Discerning the Times

One of the most powerful lessons I learned from my father is how to discern the times in which we live. He taught me how to look beneath issues of the day and understand the larger cultural moment. Today, there are more voices than ever speaking on the cultural moment we are in. This noise is amplified by:

1. Political unrest

2. Public violence

3. An everpresent digital newsfeed

4. AI

5. Our addictions, insecurities, and anxieties

What you are uniquely impacted by might be different, but there is biblical precedent for the importance of discerning the times. King David’s men were trained and skilled in understanding the times “to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Similarly, Mordecai correctly spoke these words to his cousin, queen Esther, in her efforts to save the Jewish people, “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Jesus consistently criticized the Pharisees and other religious leaders for failing to discern the times, and for not recognizing him as the Messiah: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).

Failing to discern the times can be disastrous. Yet correctly discerning the times can lead to influence and freedom. So, how do we discern the times? In his excellent book Carpe Diem Redeemed, Os Guinness offers three keys.

First, begin with fear of the Lord. Scripture repeatedly says that fearing God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge (Prov. 9:10; Ps. 111:10). Paul says that in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). We must begin our pursuit of understanding with the recognition that God is the all-powerful, all-good Creator of the universe and that truth is found in Him. Beginning our search with any other core belief will lead to foolishness and falsehood.

Second, grow in the fruits of the Spirit. This helps us correct the biases and corruptions of our own hearts (Gal. 5:22-24). It is only when we cultivate love, joy, peace, and so on, through spiritual disciplines, that we can develop the openness to correction and the fortitude to follow truth wherever it leads.

Third, be led by the Spirit. Guinness writes, “It is essential that we are led by the direct prompting of God’s spirit, for only the Spirit of God knows the truth of the situation, and he alone can cleanse our muddied lenses and open our eyes to see what is really happening and what God is really doing in our time” (p. 85).

Before I offer an additional practical point, let me emphasize that all three points from Guinness are internally focused on the kind of people we become. In sum, the key to discerning the times is cultivating virtue and becoming a certain kind of person who values truth and understands his or her role in the universe.

In addition, I would humbly add one more key for discerning the times: Study and research. If we want to discern the times, we need to tirelessly read (or watch or listen to) the news, blogs, books, and other sources of information that come from wise people. In particular, read people who are good at discerning the times. Two authors I find particularly insightful are Os Guinness and Nancy Pearcey.

If you want to be challenged to think biblically about all areas of life, check out the Think Biblically Podcast, which I co-host with Dr. Scott Rae. We post Tuesdays and then a Weekly Cultural Update every Friday. For the Friday update, we take 3-4 stories from the week and offer biblical insight about them.

Here’s two other podcasts that help me discern the times:

1. Breakpoint Podcast, by John Stonestreet

2. The Briefing, by Dr. Albert Mohler

Here’s the bottom line: Discerning the times is a skill that is developed like any other. It takes time and commitment. Yet those who take the time to develop it, put themselves in the best position to make a significant contribution to the kingdom in the time in which God has appointed them to live (Acts 17:26).