Sunday, July 26, 2009

The "Will of God"

I recently listened to a wonderful talk given by Kevin DeYoung on the "will of God" entitled "Just Do Something" (like his book). The content of the talk (and I assume the book) is in agreement with another good book I've (mostly) read on this same subject - Decision Making and the Will of God. However, the talk is certainly more accessible than Decision Making and the Will of God (an exhaustive treatment of the subject) and therefore likely to appeal much more to the intended 20-something audience.

In my late teens I didn't struggle with the "will of God." Thanks to my parents, I entered college with a solid understanding of what I wanted to study and what I wanted to do when I graduated. That said, I wasn't walking with Jesus and so I didn't care about God's will.

However, during college God called me to Himself, and my life's goal became God's glory. What better way to glorify God than to accomplish His will? For a reason that still remains a mystery to me, I was distinctly impressed with the need to discover God's will before I made decisions - the more significant the decision the more important it was that I have clear "guidance" from God. This led to much agonizing over the life-changing decisions I was making (e.g. going overseas, taking a job, buying a house, getting married, etc.). I also noticed similar anguish among my friends who were making (or trying to make) such decisions of their own.

In the years since, I have studied the will of God not just for myself but also in the effort to help my friends. I believe the "will of God" is actually problematic for my generation at large. I believe part of the issue is the paradox of choice (caused in large part by American consumerism) but more than that is the inexplicable conviction that we must discover God's will in order to make the correct choice.

I enjoyed Kevin's lecture so much because it succinctly and compellingly confirms what I have discovered in my own studies. I wish I had heard it in college. It would have blessed me with the freedom that I now (usually) enjoy when making decisions. I highly recommend it.