Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. These words have spoken to us about the need to do God's will. We have been learning about discernment, the ability to make the best choices as led by the Spirit of God. Many of us are confused about God's will because they have not grasped the importance of discernment as a lifestyle. God wants to lead your life. He wants to lead you into a Godly prosperous, fulfilling life. But one thing stands in our way. We constantly make bad choices. Remember our choices today will determine our quality of life tomorrow.

There are some roadblocks to effective discernment that stand in our way. Things we do that affect how we determine God's will for our lives. I want to look at some common roadblocks and see how we can overcome them. Let me look first at God's promise for us in Jeremiah 29:11.Gods plan for you is good. Believe it. Let's look at Psalms 20:4 and 21:2, Prov 11:23. God desires to give you what you desire. Understand that the desires of a righteous man have been put there by God. Deep down, you really want to do God's will. Well, let’s just do it. Amen?

First there are physical factors. If you are fatigued because of overworking or slothful due to inactivity, these will affect how you discern. A discerning people must rest. We must take a Sabbath. Find something relaxing, creative. Enjoy life. On the other hand, those who desire nothing but sleep have the other problem. Consider these proverbs: 6:6, 6:9-11, 13:4, 15:19, 20:4, 22:13, 24:30-34, 26:13-16, 21:25-26. One who is slothful brings a hardness to his heart, he lives in fear. He is foolish and ungodly. He wants the best but finds thorns and thistles filling his life. Rest and exercise. Work and play. Balance between the two.

Second there are emotional and psychological blocks. The list is long here. I could spend months trying to uncover every block in this category, but I won't. I will try to uncover just a handful of the most common ones.

a) Lack of imagination and creativity. With God all things are possible, but we don't think that way do we?

b) Misconceptions of our roles. For instance, our ideas about what women can and can't do in the Church may color our discernment.

c) Low image of oneself. Our immediate thought is "I could never do that" or "I'll mess it up if I try it". Sound familiar?

d) Fear! We can be controlled by our fear and so miss out on God's will. The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom. When you fear failure, what others will say, what we will look like in the eyes of others, making mistakes, being wrong...etc.

e) Expectations! This one, combined with fear of what others think, will end discernment in a flash. Be prepared for a topsy turvy life. When your concern is to fulfill others expectations of you and you are scared of losing face (looking bad) then you are in a trap. God's will can not be understood. Pastors can fall into this trap. They run back and forth fulfilling what is expected of them instead of what God has called them to do. He can become so busy trying to make everybody happy that he loses touch with God!

f) Anger! Anger and an unforgiving Spirit will always block discernment. That is why the Bible commands us not to let the sun go down on it. Don't let it take over and begin to burn deep down inside. It robs us of joy, it hardens our hearts, it blinds us to God's voice and will. Eccl 7:9

g) Worry! When we worry we are actually saying that we do not trust God. It too robs us of peace, the peace of knowing that all is under God's control. It negatively influences how you will choose. You are too concerned about the next moment to be fully in the present moment.

h) Apathy and Cynicism. Discouragement that takes root in our hearts. We kind of think that there is no use, it's always going to be this way. That person has lost hope; he has stopped caring because it just doesn't matter any more. Yes it does. Discouragement must come, but it doesn't have to stay. This person will fail at discernment because he is not convinced that any decision is going to help, so why bother.

Third, there are theological blocks to God's will. Do you understand God to be the loving caring Father that He has revealed Himself to be? Or do you see him as someone who is ready to pound on you. Do you understand his Grace and forgiveness? Or do you beat yourself into the ground when you do something wrong? Do you try to atone for your own sin, hoping that God will forgive you then? Do you see yourself as God sees you? Is God actively concerned with your life? Do you see all jobs equal in God's eyes? Or have you bought into the Doctor, Lawyer illusion? A janitor is an uneducated waste of a life? A doctor is the cream of the crop? All musicians are losers? Think about it. What theological lies have you bought into? God only blesses those who do good? You must earn God's blessings? Jesus protects us from The Father?

The Answer to all these roadblocks is Scripture and Fellowship. God's Word will teach us if we are eager to learn from it! And we learn as we talk to each other and fellowship. If you get a chance to spend some time with Barb and Arnold. I have been impressed by the quality of discernment they have shown in their lives. Listen to them, they have insights that could benefit you! God's will is learned through the studying and application of the Bible as well as listening to wise council. Use both of them and you will see!