The lives of the saints can sometimes be thought of, not only as holy, but also imbued with a clear sense and knowledge of God’s will and a fine attunement to the Spirit’s leading. Our first reading leaves us with a different picture: Paul’s decisions and movements in preaching the gospel seem almost haphazard. Firstly, he has to be prevented from going to the province of Asia and then, secondly, not to Bithynia, where he intended to proceed. Then it is not the Spirit directly, but a mysterious Macedonian who, in a dream, points Paul in the direction of Macedonia. Consequently, given Paul’s experience, we should not be discouraged by our perplexities in trying to discern God’s will in our lives—we are, apparently in good company! Provided that we are humble, open, and alert, God will continue to lead us along the paths of his love and saving will through the varied circumstances, people, and happenings of our daily lives. God, we need to remember, has no desire to hide his will from us, and it is only our hardness of heart and spiritual obtuseness that make it seem to be so.
Ronald Dombroski says
Discerning and doing God’s will has never been easy in my life. And from the first reading I see I am not alone.
I was thinking that God’s will is a little like those GPS voice devices that gives you directions as your are traveling on the road to a new place. If you make a wrong turn, it does not comment on your lack of skills in making that wrong turn!!, she just takes you from wherever you are now and directs you to your destination from there! Needless to say I have taken a number of wrong turns in my life….
but i believe that God will still be with me if I avail myself of those wonderful three attitudes of humility, openness and alertness.