WHEN WE become Christians, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit to live within us and to guide us. Our conduct becomes controlled by the Spirit. We live a different kind of life when the Spirit is within us.

When we are Spirit-led, we naturally want to know God's will for us. First Thessalonians 4:3 tells us very plainly, "This is the will of God, that you should be holy" (REB).

The world tells us that the will of God is too difficult for us to follow and that it is not what people want for their lives. Romans 12:2 tells us, "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" (NIV).

Yes, God's will for us is good, pleasing, and perfect. In our lives on this earth God does want us to be happy, but the only way to be happy is to be holy. And the only way to be holy is to live by the Spirit.