Hey Duncan,
I can sympathize with this concern you are experiencing. I believe that a lot of people today feel the same way. This is what I have found in my journey that has aided me in understanding the subject of God's will.
Ps 40:8
I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
It is plain (to me anyway) from a study of scripture which speaks of the will of God that His specific will for us deals with spiritual qualities and our spiritual condition rather than a specific deed or task.
He wills:
1) That I be saved
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
2) That I be set apart (sanctified) for his special purpose
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit (I Thess. 4:3-8).
3) That I be filled with His Spirit and thus controled by His Spirit
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:17-19).
4) That I submit to Him. (all good leaders are good followers)
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king
(I Peter 2:13-17).
5) That I suffer because of my service for Him
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
(I Peter 3:17).
So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
(I Peter 4:19).
6) In view of what God has done for me Paul says in Romans 12:1ff that God wills that I serve Him
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Rom 12:1-2).
When these things are present in my life I believe that my will is then actually His will. In other words the things that I desire, perhaps because I was given particulare gifts and interests by God, are very much what God would want me to desire. It is at this point I trust that the actual desires of my heart are not, in fact, my own but His.
Ps 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Eric
