I like a sure-thing.
When I have a decision to make I usually stick within my safe-zone or ask God to give me a clear answer on which choice is His perfect will…
This approach more often than not gets me stuck, not making any decision. Just waiting to ‘hear’ from God. Kinda afraid to do something that’s outside of His will for me.
*****
My Son-In-Law Jon, told me about a book he was reading that he thought I might like…wow.
By: Kevin DeYoung
Here are a few quotes from the book :
*”The will of God for our lives is that we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. The most important decision we face is the daily decision to live for Christ and die to self. If we do those two things, then we are free to choose between jobs and schools and locations. God wants us to stop obsessing about the future and trust that He holds the future.”
*”Stop thinking of God’s will like a corn maze, or a tightrope, or a bull’s-eye…”
*”Let’s not spiritualize our inability to make decisions in the quest to discover God’s will…”
The book is tiny and totally steeped in scripture I would honestly have to quote nearly the entire book to it do justice .
Instead, let me show you what I came away with…
If I ask God: which bench do I choose?
Always before I’ve expected an answer similar to this…(every bench out of focus except for the ONE I was supposed to choose. ( And if the Hallelujah Chorus was blaring from the “bench”… all the better!)
Now, I’m seeing decisions in a different way…as long as the decision doesn’t keep me from loving God with all my heart or from loving others…as long as the decision doesn’t go against scripture…
I have a choice.
I don’t have to fret and worry and wait for a sign…just choose a “bench” and take a load off for the love of pete…
For little-old-clinched-shouldered-worrisome me…this was liberating.
I have to tell you that The Husband read it and chuckled his way through the whole thing. When he finished, he closed the book and said:
“This is exactly what I’ve been telling you for the past 25 years…”
I’m going to start listening to that man one of these days…
xoxo
…..and all these things will be added unto you.
Even the bench! Virtually eliminates anxiety & confusion.
Good book…….good word……God is good!
That last sentence had me laughing. Glad i didn’t have anything in my mouth at the time. I think, Robin, this question puzzles more Christians than any other. I once had a situation where I was considering two churches. One I had already preached at while the other had an interview set up. I told a friend that I wasn’t sure which one God wanted me to take. He said, “Bill take the one you have already preached at if it is a good one and they have offered it to you. Even if it’s wrong in the long run God will not let you flounder and punish you for choosing it. He will go through it with you.” Good advice. I took the church and in the 3 years there learned some very valuable lessons. Thanks for this post. I had once put this book in my Amazon cart but took it out. Looks like it will have to go back in. 🙂
.-= Bill (cycleguy)´s last blog ..“Lord- Lord” =-.
Love this! I was just yesterday reading something along these lines. Why do husbands always have to say that?
And why are they right about it?
“I’m pretty sure most of us would be more
fulfilled if we didn’t fixate on fulfillment
quite so much.” A memorable line from
Kevin’s book.
A postscript from an earlier comment: )
This is just what I needed to read today. I maybe at a career cross roads and I was hoping I would be able to hear what God wanted me to do – Stay where it’s secure or try something new. So worried “what if I make the wrong decision”. Its so easy to get tied up in the material world and forget where the real value is…With God I can’t go wrong.
Good advice, Robin. We can sit around forever waiting for God to shout directions to us. I’ve learned to follow my instinct when making a decision and then leaving the rest up to Him. God already knows what we will decide and where that decision will lead us.
Blessings!
Jean
.-= Jean Fischer´s last blog ..Cancer- It Cant Happen to Me =-.
Great post Robin I would love to read that book! I will try to find it on my sony reader list…Love you
Its so interesting to me to see how God shows up in the everyday of other people… I’ve never thought to ask for a word from God in this manner about these things. Its almost like being codependent… Robin, how freeing for you, I can see a huge burden being lifted from you…
This directly ties into Don Miller’s post a few weeks back about God’s “purpose” for our lives… Thanks for sharing sweetie…
Thanks for sharing Robin
.-= Vicky´s last blog .. =-.
I was thrilled to see “Just Do Something” featured on your website. Kevin DeYoung is my pastor!!! I have read the book and it is fabulous. I didn’t realize the book was becoming so popular.
I am going to get this book AND I just recommended it to my son. Thanks, Robin. I LOL’d reading the last sentence:):) XO, Pinky
GREAT POST. We are god’s children, he is always with us. A s a child of God our Father, I don’t feel he wants us to always to delay making decisions while waiting for a sign. Our Fathers gives us advice, but making or delaying a decision isn’t what parents would encourage. If we do keep delaying we get more frustrated and sad, so why.?
.-= rose´s last blog ..TREASURES =-.
Oh, that ending left me with such a smile on my face. 😉
Moreso, I love hearing about how others perceive life and learn through it. Good stuff, Rob… we never stop learning, do we?
.-= gitz´s last blog ..YOU-create Week 1 =-.
Love this mom. Great pics too. Btw got a new blog if you wanna bookmark or anyhting…
.-= Emma Gay´s last blog ..Connect Page =-.
Must get this book!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
“Let’s not spiritualize our inability to make decisions in the quest to discover God’s will… <—— That quote changed my life when I read this book.