Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will by Kevin DeYoung. Moody Publishers. 144 pages. 2009
****
Pastor and author Kevin DeYoung writes that in this book about God’s will, his goal is “not as much to tell you how to hear God’s voice in making decisions as it is to help you hear God telling you to get off the long road to nowhere and finally make a decision, get a job, and, perhaps, get married.” He aims to give a different perspective than found in many books on seeking God’s will. He wants us to take some responsibility, make a decision, and just do something.
Many ask “If God has a wonderful plan for my life, how can I discover what it is?” But the author states that if the truth be told, God doesn’t really intend to tell us what it is, and we may even be wrong to expect Him to.
He addresses the different aspects of God’s will:
- Will of decree, which refers to what God has ordained. All that He decrees will ultimately come to pass. This is how things are.
- Will of desire. This refers to what God has commanded, what He desires from His creatures. This is how things ought to be.
A third way that we look at God’s will is His will of direction. Does God have a secret will of direction that He expects us to figure out before we do anything? The author states that God does have a specific plan for our lives, but it is not one that He expects us to figure out before we make a decision.
He then addresses problems with the conventional approach to finding the will of God, and writes that if we are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we will be in God’s will, so we should just go out and do something.
He looks at four tools that Christians have developed for discerning God’s will – open doors, fleeces, random Bible verses, and impressions. He writes that all four tools can be used wisely, and that all four can be instruments of foolishness.
For making decisions, he recommends:
Step One: Search the Scriptures
Step Two: Get wise counsel
Step Three: Pray
Step Four: Make a decision
He addresses two specific decisions we spend a lot of time on – what job should I take and who should I marry. He states that in almost any job, God can be pleased with our work so long as we are taking pleasure in Him as we do it. Regarding marriage, he states that as a general rule, Christians are waiting too long to get married.
This short book may best resonate with young adults, but it contains wise advice for all ages.