One of the biggest mysteries of life sometimes seem to be a question that all Christians have struggled with…. “how do I know God’s will for my life?”

We often think that we simply are not close enough to God, or a good enough Christian, or in tune to His voice, to be able to know His will.

Maybe we think we have prayed for Him to reveal His will to us and for our lives, but the mytery information or confirmation still eludes us.

But is His will really a mystery?

Ephesians 5:17 says “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (NLT)

This verse enforces that as Christians, we should seek to know God’s will. But yet, we still feel intimated or incapable of knowing what that will is. But actually, we make it seem harder than it needs to be!

Unfortunately, we may not always God’s will for specific situation until we spend a great deal of time in prayer and seek His guidance to our spirits. Decisions like whether or not find a new job, have a baby, get married, get separated, discipline a child, tell a friend our opinion, move to a new state, what to do with our life, etc., are examples of situations that would be so much easier if we could call God up on the phone and get an immediate answer.

But in the meantime, while we are seeking His will in a specific situation, we can carry out His will that we do know. His will, in and of itself, is not a mystery.

Ephesians 1:9 says “God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.”

God’s general will for all of His children, is to grow in our faith, live as a holy people, and follow His instructions, without allowing things of the world to get in the way of that will.

Ephesians 5:18 says “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” This verse is not referring to wine, as much as it is referring to what is filling up a person.

If wine is what fills someone up on a daily basis, then that is what is keeping them from knowing God’s will.

But in the same way, if busyness, anger, unforgiveness, resentment, dishonesty, worry, anxiousness, passion, temptation, or jealousy, is what is filling someone up, then those are the things that are keeping someone from knowing God’s will.

God longs for us to be filled with the Spirit, and nothing else. When we are filling our lives and our hearts with things other than the Spirit, then we are essentially putting up a wall between us, and God. We are constructing a sound barrier, which prevents us from hearing God’s voice, and therefore prevents us from knowing His will for the specific situations in our lives.

Are you desperately seeking God’s will in a situation in your life, but feel like something is preventing you from hearing God’s voice? If your answer is yes, then take a moment to think of the main thing, or several things, that have been filling you up lately.

Are these things that you are full of, things of God? Are these things drawing you closer to God, or keeping you away from Him? Are these things something to be proud of, or something that you hope to keep a secret from others?

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our life will be evidence of that. Not that we are expected, or even capable, of not messing up, but overall, our life will show that we are trying.

As we speak praise, worship Him, thank Him for our blessings, be kind to others, love the unlovable, and have a song in our heart – it will be obvious to everyone around us what we are filled with.