'exercise your will'

My resolution for the year--my prayer, is to be self-controlled, to be disciplined and to choose to do His will. I have come to understand that it is not that He doesn't want to talk to me, but that I have to exercise my faith thus strengthening it and making it grow-- in order that i may truly be in His presence. My constant doubt and my undisciplined lifestyle is not helping me to recognise His voice. Pastor said in exhortation to us, "pray, so that you will know the Father, and know that the Father knows you." that went right straight to my heart. How i need that assurance that He knows me! and Pastor is right--pray, spend time with Him, so that i will know Him, and know that He knows me.

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 1: 3-11