Erin's Observations: How does God reveal His will for us in our lives?

This question is not as perplexing as some may think. In my experience, especially the last few years, I have come to know our Lord through life's everyday circumstances. It's quite amazing if there is an inner balance between what is going on inside your soul versus staying attentive to what is happening around you.

God very rarely will reveal His Will for you as if reading it out of a book. His will is revealed in the small inspirations He inplants into your heart and mind. Look at the circumstances around you every minute of everyday.

If we all took the time and realized the opportunities to grow in almost every virtue throughout the day, we would surely realize that God calls us all to be Saints. Not just saints but great saints!

If someone is difficult to deal with today, there is your opportunity to grow in the virtue of patience.

If you have a headache or are very ill, there is your opportunity to embrace your cross and offer your suffering for others (or a certain cause )and unite it to Christ's suffering on the cross.

When someone asks for help but you are already busy yourself, there is your opportunity to be selfless and help someone else in need.

Sometimes it comes in our humiliations. Surrender to these humiliations because nothing can be more freeing to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit than a spirit of total surrender to our Lord.

I'm sure you get the picture. I don't wish to be preachy, I only share this with you because if someone had shared this with me a few years ago I think I would've understand my life circumstances so much better than I did at the time.

I feel I should also warn you about not being too selfish even in your own prayer life. Be very careful of not being too self-involved in prayer. As someone who struggles with this daily, I know now that God answers my prayers in a most perfect way when I am praying for others.

This doesn't mean He answers my prayers the way I wish He would, but still He answers them perfectly as only He can. It can be very frustrating as humans to wait for everything to happen in God's time and not our own. But in the waiting comes the wisdom of Divine love.

So for today, Ask our Lord to reveal His will for you in your life. "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened unto you....."

Go with the flow of the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, (hopefully not sounding too corny).
You'll know they come from the Holy Spirit if you don't listen or act and He is persistent with His inspirations.

I'd like to leave you with a favorite prayer of mine to the Holy Spirit:

Sighing for the Holy Spirit

O Mildest Comforter, Holy Spirit, come to me.

My Soul sighs for You! My heart thirsts for You!

You alone can satisfy my longing;You alone can make me happy.

Despise not, O Divine Bridegroom, the dwelling of my heart.

My heart is unclean, but You can purify it.

My heart is dark, but You can illuminate it.

My heart is wicked, but You can penetrat it with love.

My heart is sad, but You can comfort it.

My heart is weak, but You can strengthen it.

My heart is cold, but You can inflame it.