The first book I have read in 2019 may very well be the best book I read all year. Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung is a no-holds-barred argument for the sufficiency of Scripture as the source for understanding God’s will for your life. For too long evangelical Christians have been mired in the confusing and endless bog of “finding the center of God’s will for my life,” and DeYoung apparently had enough of it. (I’ve had enough of it as well.
His central argument is that God has revealed everything you need to live your life and make decision in his Word, and therefore your main task is to bring his Word to bear upon your decision making. Fair warning: little in this book is nuanced or qualified. DeYoung’s exhortations and rebukes are distilled and potent.
Here are 7 of my favorite quotes from the book, and I high recommend you read this if you haven’t already.
- God micromanages our lives, he doesn’t just plan out a few of the big ticket items.
- Many of us— men and women are extremely passive and cowardly. We don’t take risks for God because we are obsessed with safety, security, and most of all with the future.
- Obsessing over the future is not how God wants us to live, because showing us the future is not God’s way.
- Passivity is a plague among Christians. It’s not just that we don’t do anything; it’s that we feel spiritual for not doing anything.
- Apart from the Spirit working through the Scripture, God does not promise to use any other means to guide us, nor should we expect him to.
- The whole “fleece approach” to life is dangerously close to violating Jesus admonition, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”