I’ve read many books on the will of God; most of them focus on hearing God’s voice and a divining of the future at every fork-in-the-road. I have always had trouble with this method, as I wasn’t very good at it. I tended to get stressed attempting to figure it all out; what is the Lord’s voice, what are my own thoughts, what is the enemy? I would equate hearing God’s voice for directional decisions to a relationship with Him.
Enter Kevin DeYoung and his book Just Do Something. Joshua Harris was spot on in the forward to say that this book, ‘smacks you upside the head’ and that you’ll be better for it.
“If there really is a perfect will of God we are meant to discover, in which we will find tremendous freedom and fulfillment, why does it seem that everyone looking for God’s will is in such bondage and confusion? Christ died to give us freedom from the law (Galatians 5:1), so why turn the will of God into another law leading into slavery?”
Kevin juxtaposes the differences between the current generation and that of his grandparents. Today we are looking for fulfillment in everything, whereas his grandparents (and the biblical) focus is on faithfulness. We are obsessed about asking God about the future rather than asking Him for wisdom, holiness or righteousness. One of Kevin’s main points is that God’s way is of wisdom and progressive sanctification – “God is not a Magic-8-Ball we shake up and peer into whenever we have a decision to make.”
He formulates a very strong biblical argument for practical wisdom and offers a balanced approach that still includes room for the supernatural but doesn’t make us slaves to it.
Through email I interviewed author Kevin DeYoung:
Rachael: I always felt that I didn’t have a real relationship with God because I didn’t hear his voice at each fork-in-the-road, never had one of those “God said” clarity moments. Do you believe there are many people like this, and how would you define a personal relationship with Jesus if it’s not hearing his directional will?
Kevin: I think there are many people who feel like they are lacking intimacy with God because they do not “hear” from him. But maybe we are just expecting to hear from him in the wrong places at the wrong times. God speaks to us in his word, through private reading, corporate study, and good preaching. A personal relationship with Jesus (a phrase not in the Bible) means we sincerely trust Christ, live for Christ, love Christ, and rely on him for everything.
How does the prophetic play out in this view of God’s will?
Christians disagree on what role prophecy has in the church today. Certainly, there can be nothing that contradicts Scripture or adds a new doctrine to the Bible. Everything must be tested against the certain word of God. Prophecy does not exist any longer in the sense of new revelations. But God may give us an appropriate word to speak, or give us special insight into a person or problem.
Some of my friends have been hit with this revelation of “I’m not going to be famous and change the world and that’s okay.” It’s been a really freeing thing. How do you think the church could change the idea of success?
Biblical success is defined by faithfulness. The only audience we are playing for is God. Fame, money, and power are not the measures of true success.
My mum had a friend who was reupholstering her furniture and put her finger on each swab of fabric, awaiting a tingle from the Holy Spirit when she touched the one she should choose. Although this is an extreme case, many people want to have God in every part of their lives. What would you say to them?
First of all, with all due respect, this is bizarre. Where does the Bible ever suggest we should make decisions like this? If God gave us tingles for every decision in life we wouldn’t need wisdom or progressive sanctification. God’s way is to change us, not to tell us what to do all the time.
What books have really impacted your life and why?
I read a lot of books. Obviously the Bible is the most important book I’ve ever read. After that, the three most influential authors in my life have been John Calvin, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and John Piper. I also love Jonathan Edwards David Wells, D.A. Carson, G.K. Chesterton, Martin Luther, and Herman Bavinck.
Hope you enjoyed reading this review & interview!
Rachael
Comments on: "Review of ‘Just Do Something’ & Interview with Kevin DeYoung" (7)
Rachel,
This is great, thanks for the interview! and thanks Kevin – for writing this book. It was the bookend on a long time of frustrated searching to discover what knowing God’s will really meant. I have heard so many contradictory notions about knowing God’s will, many of which have little grounding in scripture or even reality. This book was a final nail in the proverbial coffin of my disillusions. I feel a lot freer and a lot clearer on my responsibilities as a Christian.
The marriage part PARTICULARLY helped me! I am no longer waiting for the ridiculous Christian Prince Charming! and I think i’ll be happier for that!
Rachael, this is fantastic! I also can relate to the content here in regards to ‘hearing God’s voice’, and all the many books about it. You have written up a very useful and helpful blog here. i like the fact that you did an interview with the actual author of the book in question. Good questions and great answers. “If God gave us tingles for every decision in life we wouldn’t need wisdom or progressive sanctification.” that was a good answer by Kevin. Thanks. Phil Dawe
This is great Rach. I want to read that book.
I think a lot of us, in this generation, are suffering from the effects of preaching that was delivered with good intentions but nurtured many unrealistic and unwarranted expectations. We were rightfully encouraged that God has a big, massive, awesome plan and purpose for our lives, that we should dream large – with God on our side who can be against us… but most went away defining ‘big’ in the world’s eyes instead of God’s. They also expected a voice from heaven to instruct them on how to make that big dream happen – which of course wouldn’t involve too much hard work, years of preparation and would be hurdle-free (as otherwise would suggest that God was ‘closing doors’)…
I’ve seen so many people who haven’t had an experience like those pitched from the platform, been disenchanted and gone elsewhere after spending years in church. They came to the conclusion that that sort of intimacy with God where he ‘speaks; to you daily about all sorts of things was actually ‘unattainable’. They didn’t buy it – hadn’t happened for them. Got over feeling like a bad Christian. They left.
I remember one well-known Pastor telling a room full of young people how God had told him to pick up a towel he had just dropped and left on the floor. He struggled to do as such, but eventually did and because of that obedience a certain conference/movement was birthed… maybe God does tell people to pick up towels – may be it’s just our conscience that God has embedded within us. Either way I think such stories should be carefully delivered as not to give young people warped perceptions of what intimacy with God and hearing from God is necessarily about/looks like.
great interview and review! thanks for the post!
Actual read your blog!! Very very cool…now I just need to read the book, it sounds good!
Great review. Great book.
Thank you for this good review