Discerning Hearts

Discernment is the ability to listen for God’s guidance and wisdom when making decisions. For caregivers, this is one of our most valuable tools—and one of our most important prayers should be, “Give me discernment, Lord.”

We are bombarded by important questions that deserve thoughtful answers. Our decisions affect many people, both now and in the future. Which of the overwhelming issues should we address first? Who needs to be involved with those decisions? What are the financial ramifications? Which option best maintains the dignity, independence, and wishes of our loved one? How do we find the answers to these problems?

We pray for wisdom. We involve others in the process by consulting with family, friends, and professionals. We explore our options by getting all the information available to us, and we simply give the process time. Ultimately, we let it rest in God’s hands.

Then we remember to be gentle with ourselves over the situations that don’t turn out as we had hoped. None of us is perfect—but if we listen for God’s wisdom, we’ll find the answers we need.