Just Do Something - Chapter One

Here we are, beginning to read through 'Just Do Something (A Liberating Approach To Finding God's Will) . . .' By Kevin DeYoung. This is the 1st of 10 weeks discussing what are typically, quite short chapters.

If you are interested in joining with us in this venture, feel free to buy or borrow a copy of the book and begin reading. This week we skipped the Foreword by Joshua Harris and read Chapter One 'The Long Road to Nowhere'.


Discussion
This chapter was simple, short and straight to the point, wasting no time in dealing with our generation and describing us as 'Tinkerers' - the words of Robert Wuthnow. Deyoung describes the current state of 'adultolescence' which means the putting off of adulthood & the prolonging of immaturity & adolescence into our 30's or 40's.

Some of the transitions into adulthood "include leaving home, finishing school, becoming financially independent, getting married, and having a child." At this point i was thankful that Kevin included allowance for legitimate reasons why these may not be met, as too often we can generalize and cause hurt to some who struggle in areas.
For example; to say that you are not fully transitioned into adulthood if you have not had a child is deeply offensive & painful for those who struggle with infertility, have suffered miscarriages etc...

So i'm glad that Kevin didn't just make a sweeping statement & indeed he stated that "Just because you've been on the planet for one-fourth to one-third of your life and still haven't completed "the transition" to adulthood doesn't mean you're automatically a moocher, a lazy bum, or a self-indulgent vagabond."


However his following 5 words stop us in our tracks, as he continues; "But it could mean that".

I didn't have to think too hard about my own life to see that in many areas tinkering has & indeed does mean just that. Often (not always), it has been used as an excuse not to commit, be inconsistent & to avoid many decisions that i should make. It is why i find it hard to settle & am constantly looking around for something new, better or just different.

As Kevin describes there are so many options & opportunities out there in a vast World that has so much to offer & yet so little time that we cannot do it all. Hence i often feel confused along with the need to hesitate, think & decide carefully what to do. In my own case this has often led to doing nothing for long periods of time in which i waste the life that God has given me.

On page 15, as the chapter draws to a close DeYoung tells us that 'our search for God's will has become an accomplice in the postponement of growing up' - we have used the search for God's will as an excuse for a lack of maturity. Which i think, if we are deeply honest, we know to be very, very true!

I appreciated that Kevin also laid down his goal in writing this book early, as not being "as much to tell you how to hear God's voice in making decisions as it is to help you hear God telling you to get off the long road to nowhere and finally make a decision, get a job, and, perhaps, get married."

The main questions & challenges that come to mind from this chapter really concern how we feel about being called tinkerers? Are we putting off adulthood? And are we covering up our laziness, indecisiveness & unreliability etc by claiming that we are searching for God's will?

Your Turn
I've rambled on enough so over to you, is there something you'd like to share about what you've read? Please feel free to leave comments or a link to your own blog and we'll make this collective effort to grasp this book.

Other's:
*Supersimbo*
*Undiluted Christianity*

Next Week we'll look at Chapter 2 'The Will of God in Christianese.'