When Discernment Speaks: I Couldn’t Shake the Feeling Something Was Off
There was once a spiritual teacher I followed, known for speaking on spiritual narcissism. Their insight was deep, and they seemed to know what they were talking about—especially when it came to protecting yourself from toxic spiritual dynamics. At first, I listened. I even appreciated how detailed they were in sharing their personal experiences. But from the beginning, something just felt off.
I couldn’t put my finger on it. They used the right scriptures. They gave detailed examples. They had a devoted following. But there was something in their energy—or maybe in their eyes—that didn’t sit right with me. It wasn’t fear or offense that stirred in me. It was something deeper. I call it discernment.
Despite the pain they shared, they often spoke with a strange enjoyment when talking about the lust and toxicity of their past. The way they described those situations, it almost felt like they were still in it. It didn’t feel like healing—it felt like seduction hidden behind storytelling. The sin was spoken about, but not with godly sorrow. It was as if the sin had become a performance.
At one point, they even addressed how some people had told them their spirit felt “off.” Naturally, I was curious. I had felt that too, and I wanted to know their take. But their answer didn’t go deep. They just blamed it on something in those people that was “triggered.” But I wasn’t triggered. I was discerning.
I took a break from their content because every time I came across it, I felt an inner resistance. And I noticed something else—most of their followers could say nothing but glowing things. No questions. No critiques. Just praise. That was another red flag for me. When someone becomes spiritually “untouchable,” that’s often a sign they’ve placed themselves above accountability.
Eventually, I saw one of their videos where they called the word empath a “false teaching.” They didn’t believe it was real and said people shouldn’t use that term to describe themselves. Instead, they claimed people should call themselves prophets. That struck me as odd—especially for someone who spoke freely about narcissists, another secular term. So I commented:
“Empath is an adjective that describes someone who has traits of empathy just as the word narcissistic describes someone who has traits of a narcissist. Why is one term accepted but the other not? How is it false teaching when both words are simply descriptors?”
No response. I wasn’t surprised.
Other people began to ask similar questions. Still—no answers. Finally, the teacher brushed it off by calling “empath” a secular term. But that explanation fell flat. So is “narcissist.” That’s when it clicked for me: this teacher didn’t like being questioned. They wanted to teach, not to be challenged.
And that’s when it became clear: knowledge doesn’t always mean wisdom, and spiritual language doesn’t always mean godly character.
I don’t know exactly what it is about this person that still feels off to me. But I trust the Spirit within me. I don’t have to prove someone wrong or publicly call them out to simply step away. Just because someone says all the right things doesn’t mean they carry the right spirit. What I sensed wasn’t judgment—it was discernment.
And I’ve learned not to silence that voice anymore.
My Voice Unchained 