At some point in your early 20s, the phrase “God’s will for your life” stops being inspirational and starts feeling like a pop quiz you forgot to study for. You know the one—where every decision feels loaded with eternal consequence and the fear of missing the “right” path keeps you in a permanent state of analysis paralysis.
We’ve been taught to treat God’s will like it’s this fragile, high-stakes blueprint that could slip through our fingers if we’re not perfectly obedient or tuned in. What college should I go to? What job should I take? Is this person the one or just a decent hang? Somewhere along the way, we’ve confused faith with fortune telling.
The pressure to unlock some hidden master plan can be paralyzing. But what if that whole idea—that God’s will is something we’re supposed to find like a spiritual treasure map—isn’t actually biblical?
That’s the question Kevin DeYoung tackles in his book Just Do Something, where he suggests something radical: maybe God’s will isn’t a secret maze we have to solve. Maybe it’s a lot more straightforward and a lot more freeing.
“We should stop thinking of God’s will like a corn maze or a tightrope or a bull’s-eye,” DeYoung said.
In other words, it’s not about picking the one right door out of a thousand and hoping you don’t ruin your life if you choose wrong. It’s about walking with God, trusting his character more than trying to predict his next move.
We like to believe that if we pray hard enough, listen closely enough and read enough devotionals, God will hand us a step-by-step itinerary. But most of the time, he doesn’t. And that’s not because he’s distant—it’s because he’s forming something in us that goes deeper than certainty.
“God wants us to stop obsessing about the future and trust that He holds the future,” DeYoung said.
The whole “unknown future” thing? It’s not a glitch in the system. It’s the point. If we knew every detail in advance, we’d never have to rely on God in the first place. The ambiguity forces us to walk by faith, not sight. That’s the invitation.
God’s will isn’t about decoding the future. It’s about who you’re becoming right now. When Paul says in Ephesians 5:17, “Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is,” he’s not referring to a hidden destiny. He’s talking about living wisely, loving well and pursuing holiness in whatever season you’re in. God’s primary concern isn’t which city you move to—it’s whether your heart is becoming more like Christ’s.
DeYoung puts it succinctly: “God’s will for your life is not very complicated. … The will of God for your life is pretty straightforward: Be holy like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.”
Yes, God is sovereign. Yes, he has plans. But he’s not waiting for you to pass some cosmic test before he’ll start working. He already is. The idea that you can mess it all up with one wrong decision gives you way too much credit. God’s plans aren’t that fragile.
That’s not to say your choices don’t matter. They do. But the Spirit of God lives in you. That means you’ve been given wisdom, discernment and freedom. You’re allowed to take risks. You’re allowed to chase the dreams he’s placed on your heart. And you don’t have to wait for a burning bush before you make a move.
“Don’t wait for the ‘liver-shiver,'” DeYoung said. “If you are seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, you will be in God’s will, so just go out and do something.”
You’re not going to find a perfect, linear roadmap. But you will find that God is with you in every step, even if you’re not sure where the road leads. So go ahead—make a decision. Take a step. Trust that if you’re walking with him, you’re not walking off course.
God is bigger than your major. He’s bigger than your job. And he’s definitely bigger than the worry you’ve been carrying about getting your life “right.” You don’t have to solve his will. You just have to trust him enough to live it.
