Maybe it's an age thing, but I find myself, more and more, thinking of my life as a much younger person! One of the organisations to which I belonged was the Boys' Brigade - a Christian organisation for young lads. In my day I started in the Lifeboys, and moved on to the older group, where I was privileged to hold every rank apart from Sergeant, and Captain (and including, of course, Chaplain!).
One of the Bible quotations that was impressed upon me in those far-off days was: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." (Prov.3:5-6). Of course, in the 1950s, we learned it in the AV translation: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Just for the record, the other important verse that was committed to memory was: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Thy word." (Ps.119:9.)
The key to knowing God’s will is willingness and determination to follow it before knowing it. “... if any man’s will is to do His will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God ...” (John 7:17).
The best indicator as to whether one is really willing to follow God’s will, of course, is whether or not he is now following that part of His will which is already known, as revealed in His Word. This requires first knowing and believing, and then obeying, the Word, especially those portions dealing with God’s general will for all Christians. “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105). Then, if one indeed is following the revealed will of God, he may ask in confidence: "And this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him." (1 John 5:14-15). Further, we may ask the Lord to indicate His will in a specific matter on which there is no explicit Biblical teaching: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, Who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6).
God will then answer, though it may not be immediately. “... He told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1). It may not be in accordance with our preferences or personal judgment, but it will always be for the ultimate best. “... for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:26-28).
God will lead in two ways in the absence of specific Scripture guidance (which must always take precedence, of course). One is by providential circumstances, the other by inner witness of the Spirit, and these two must agree. Then, if all the terms have been met, we should proceed to follow God’s will as best we can, knowing that God will redirect us if we have made a mistake. God does want us to know His will, and He will “direct our paths.”