Discover the will of God is a common desire among us all

Corresponding to the will of God is always a desire of the heart of those who, somehow, have experienced his love. That’s why you often hear someone say: “I would like to know what is God’s will for my life.”

These days, a young man opened his heart to me, talking about their dreams, fears, struggles and achievements. He seemed not to be satisfied, nor did he demonstrate enthusiasm on the latest achievements. There was a shadow of sadness and apprehension in his look, which led me to ask: “what are you missing right now?”. He promptly replied: “I want to distinguish God’s will from mine.” By Providence, I had just read some writings of Chiara Lubich talking about it, then I passed him some words of encouragement. Then, I kept thinking about it.

_{Photo: Yamin/cancaonova.com}

I know that young man is no exception. In fact, discovering the will of God is a common desire among us. Because we know that being in the will of God is the right path to happiness, and being happy is all that craves human being in this world.

Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, claims that it is difficult to know what the will of God is and indicates the path:

“We need to hear well inside a delicate voice, which is often smothered, and that becomes almost imperceptible. But if we listen well, it is the voice of God. Chiara tells us that it’s time to study or help those in need, to work, win against temptation or fulfill a duty of a Christian citizen. She invites us to pay attention to someone who speaks in the name of God, or to face difficult situations with courage. We need to hear. Let’s not shut out his voice, it is the most precious treasure we have. Let’s follow it! “

After this discovery, we have a second stage, which is also very important: the courage to assume the will of God, making it our life project. The condition for this is to take the steps required at each moment. Sometimes simple things happen at first, and, along the walk, there are larger requirements, which are always possible. God never asks us anything we can’t accomplish with his grace.

According to Chiara, life offers us two directions: doing our will or doing the will of God. The first option will be disappointing, it’s like climbing the mountain of life with our limited ideas, with the few resources we have, with our poor dreams, counting only on our own strength. From there, sooner or later, we get into the routine experience of an existence full of boredom, of mediocrity, of pessimism and, sometimes, even despair. A monotonous life, in spite of our effort to make it interesting, we never get to meet our intimate deeper insides. The second possibility is when we repeat with Jesus: ‘ not my will, but yours “(Lk 22, 42).

To understand this better, we can compare God to a Sun. From the Sun come many rays that protrude on each of us. These rays represent the will of God. In life, we are called to walk toward this “Sun”, following the lightrays, that are different and distinct from all others. And we can accomplish the wonderful design that God has for each one of us: His will. If we do, we’re going to feel involved in a divine adventure, never before imagined.

We will be at the same time, actors and spectators in the great things that God will accomplish in us and through us in humanity. All that was  to happen, as the sufferings and the joys, thanks and misfortunes, important facts or insignificant ones, all will acquire a new meaning, because it is offered by the hand of God, who is love. All he wants or allows is for our good. If you believe that only with the faith we will see then, with the eyes of the soul, there is a golden thread calling events and things, to compose a magnificent embroidery: it is the project of God for each one of us.

It may be that, given this, you decide to give more meaning to your life. So, start now to do the will of God, because, if you think about it, the past is gone and we can’t have it. All we can do is put it in the mercy of God. The future has not yet arrived. We will live it and it becomes current. In our hands, all we have is the present moment. It is where we must choose to do the will of God. How? Listening to that soft voice that speaks to the heart, remembering that God didn’t ask us something unworkable. We will be together!