When Jesus was asked by His disciples to teach them to pray,
He taught them this prayer …

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
--- Luke 11:2-4

Your will be done!

To most people, not just to Christians,
… God’s will is His commandments and principles,
What He demands, His conditions,
… the way He has decided that things should be,
or indeed,
… exactly how they are going to be!

But is that really what God’s will is?

Is God’s will … what He expects of us?
Is God’s will … the way He wants us to do things?
Is God’s will … His commandments, regulations or principles?
Is God’s will … His demands, His conditions?

God is not a dictator, and says to us …

… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who works in you both
to will and to do for His good pleasure.
--- Phil. 2:12-13

His desire or design in creation!

God created what we see around us,
… and put natural principals or laws in place,
Principles & laws that govern creation,
… that regulate and keep creation in balance,
… and that ensures our existence on earth.
.
It is therefore up to creation (us) to live according to those principals,
… if we want to survive on earth.

God also put spiritual principles or laws in place,
… that regulate our lives and relationship with Him,
that promises us a future and a hope,
… and life eternal with Him!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me
and go and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, says the LORD, ….
--- Jer 29:11-14

God wants us to receive and live,
... in the fullness of what He created.
… to know His will,
… to know His desire for us,
… to know His heart towards us.

His perfect plan for mankind,
... for our lives
... for our success
… for our relationship with Him.

What then is God’s will?

When David asked God about man, and God’s relationship with man,
… this is what David found out,

What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than Elohim (God),
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion
over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,.
--- Psalm 8:4-6

God's will … is His desire for our lives,
… what He has planned for us to be,
… what He wants us to have,
… what He wants us to be able to do.
His special desire or design for our lives!

A special plan … that God has for those who love Him,
… as the Bible tells us,

And we know that all things work together for good
to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined
to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called;
whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
--- Rom 8:28-30

God’s will or desire is that we ALL step into that special place,
… that place of blessing and favour, in Him.
Where He can shower us with His goodness!
Yet, because it is a desire, and not a commandment!
God will not force anyone to choose what He freely offers!
And therefore, that will and desire God has for us,
… only becomes real and alive as we respond to it,
… as we accept it and step into it.

A real desire!

It is not a command or a principal, but a real desire,
… a want, a longing,
and is probably best describes or pictured for us in Jesus’ life

"Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;
nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."
--- Luke 22:42

What was it Jesus meant when He said in the garden of Gethsemane,
Father not my will, but yours …

Father, what is before Me,
… the cross and all that it represents,
… that separation from you,
is certainly not my desire, not what I want,
… but it is not about My will or desire,
... but your desire (purpose or will) for mankind,
that we together decided long ago … be done!

His perfect will … special desire!

God’s will or desire for our lives,
… only becomes real,
… only becomes powerful,
… only becomes the expression of His will,
when we agree with it and step out and do it!

Therefore, to live in the reality of His desires for our lives,
… the Bible exhorts us,

And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.,
--- Rom 12:2

Not trying to conforming to a commandment or principle,
… where our will should be over-ridden by God, by His will!
No!
But by being transformed by the renewing of our minds,
… to see what the goodness of God's desire or design for us is!
to make His desire, design or plan for our lives,
… our desire or plan..

… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who works in you both
to will and to do for His good pleasure.
--- Phil. 2:12-13

Accepting that reality, that promise, that challenge,
… making it your will, your desire,
… your intention for your life,
and living according to that standard, God’s standard …

That will be the proof, in our lives of God's goodness,
… and will indeed prove God's perfect will for our lives!