I'm posting this as a response to some "pondering" posed by a friend: How do we discern the "Will of God" for us? i mean, sure the Bible talks about sin and right and wrong, but it doesn't really apply when it's about, let's say, what schools to apply for or if this guy is meant for me....or does it?

First, i'll address some misconceptions of what a lot of Christians think:
1) God's 'second best' theory
If God wants me to follow a particular course of action (like, serve in missions in China) and i choose not to do it, then i'm committed for the rest of my life to God's 'second best'. That God had something better for em, but I missed out on it and therefore hafta settle for "Plan B". Many Christians feel like this, believing that they have irrevocably missed out on God's perfect plan for them.
Why it's wrong: This is a misunderstanding of sin and its consequences. First, it assumes that there's only a few decision (the important ones) that might place us outside of God's will. However, we choose to rebel against God in millions of ways throughout our lives. Does each of these mistakes carry us further from the perfect plan of God, until we end up in no-man's land?
Most importantly, this theory denies the power and sovereignty of God. That once i have chosen my action, God is powerless to redeem the situation. He is not a God with plans; He is a God with hopes. He is unable to achieve his goals without my indespensable cooperation, and the subject to the whims and follies of human sinfulness. (God's power supported by Isaiah 55:11, Prov 21:1, Isaiah 45:9-13....)
2) The important decisions
many Christians are preoccupied w/ decisions such as: marriage, job, moral dilemmas, mission field, etc. They want to find God's plan for them in these, so they look to the Scripture for guidance. But the Bible doesn't seem to be of much help. Most think that we have to discern His "special will" for us, most of time doing it wrongly through consulting others, praying, seeking God's peace, waiting on God, looking for signs or open doors, and "hearing" God's voice thought voices and dreams and such.
Why it's wrong: When we ask the wrong questions, we either get the wrong answer or no answer at all. And then we're tempted to turn elsewhere to find an answer. We should ask the questions that God thinks are important, and these are the questions he has answered in the Bible. God's priority for us all is for us to be under Christ and to make us like Jesus, and He has given us all we need to complete this journey (2 Pet. 1:3, 2 Tim 3:16-17). It doesn't matter much where we live, but how we live. For example, our job could be the most meaningless or least important in society's eyes, but it is how we conduct ourselves at work that's close to God's heart.

How does God guide us?
"Apart from his Spirit working through Scripture, God does not promise to use any other means to guide us, nor should we expect him do."
God urges us through the Scripture to listen to His Word, to attend to public reading and teaching of Scriputre, to study and meditate upon Scripture, to gaze intently into what it sez and then do it. But nowhere does he urge to us to seek signs, visions, dreams, etc.
Heb. 4:12, Eph 6, Psalm 119, 1 Tim 4:11-16, many more.....

General outline
If something is a matter of righteousness, then there is no need to search for further guidance--we should do what the Bible sez is right. But if a decision is no a matter fo righteousness, but simply of good judgement, then we should seek the counsel of the Scriptures(to see what principles or perspectives they might give), weigh the factors involved, and then make our choice without feeling guilty that we might be making the 'wrong' choice. If it's not in the right/wrong category, then we can't make the 'wrong' choice! Choosing either course is right and pleasing to God. If both courses seem 'right', then either course represents God's will for us. We can't step outside God's will--His plans can never be thwarted(Job 42:2).

This is a simplication of course. Many decisions are multi-faceted. Part of it has to do w/ wisdom and good judgement. But whatever it is, take comfort that God has not left us only partially informed, but He leads us and guides us as we shine the bright light of His Word on the path before us, to the eternal inheritance in Christ that never fades.

Of course, this is very BASIC, and a lot lot more can be expounded on this. For a good reference, pick up a copy of Guidance and the Voice of God by Jenson & Payne, from which a lot of material here was taken from.