Discernment is the process by which we come to understand what is right and true for us at this particular moment. Discernment is not the same thing as consensus decision-making, which gives everyone an opportunity to voice their opinion and seeks to find an agreement acceptable to all.
Discernment requires discipline, patience and commitment. It is about letting go of our own thoughts and opinions and seeking to find what is the right and proper thing to do under given circumstances. It is above all about listening – to each other as well as to that of God within us. It is about triangulating what we hear in our own hearts to be the right thing to do, together with what others are hearing in their hearts and what we know from sages and saints down through the ages have said is the right thing to do.
Discernment in large groups becomes more complex and can easily be misused. When there is not the time or the space to hear what everyone may have to contribute to a discernment process, the presiding clerk must choose who gets to speak and who does not. They must sift through many voices to discern the voice of God and where the truth is coming through.
Discernment is not an exact science. We can get it wrong. We can misunderstand or mishear what we are hearing, and we can easily confuse what our own egos are saying with what that of God within us is trying to say. That is why it takes discipline, patience and commitment. And why it also involves triangulating with others.
But when it is done well, the Quaker process of discernment is the most powerful tool at our disposal for making good decisions.