Just Do Something

This little book has maybe the longest alternative title of "How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc." which is pretty much a good summary of the book. Kevin DeYoung (his blog is good) is a minister at a uni church in America and in this book he looks at our culture and how 20 somethings are hesitant and timid to make decisions. He draws on examples of his grandparents and how they work hard and got on during the depression without the slightest though about "doing God's will" or waiting to discover it themselves, they just got on in life and did a fair few things.

Kevin destroys the idea that there is this one plan for our life that God has for us, and that we should do everything in our power to stay in God's will and get His blessings. This type of thinking implies that God is sneaky and mean because he doesn't clearly tell us what his very specific will is. Also he points out how it is interesting that some of the "big decisions" that people struggle with tend to be non moral ones. What Christians should do is make their own decisions and take responsibility for themselves knowing that God is in charge of the future.

Keven looks at three types of God's will and also the wrong ideas Christians have about it. In essence God's will for us is to seek first His kingdom, not worry about the future and just get on with living for Him, doing whatever. A framework for decisions taken from Guidance and the Voice of God is given and two case studies questions of "who to marry?" and "where to work?" are looked at.

I heard a talk by Kevin on this topic and from that I bought the book. This is probably the best guidance of God books I have read. It is easy to read and has a bit of cynical edge to it and gives kinda kick up the pants to the lazy, cowardly guy who should get on and do something with their life. I would recommend this to any uni age student who is wondering about some of secular lifes big decisions.