About "The Hole in Our Holiness"

I don’t really want to write a review or summary of this book.  However, I would like to share a little of what I took away from it, now that I finished it. 

In short, it was a really good book. Kevin DeYoung’s style of writing is easy to follow, being spiritually meaty, while at the same time, not too deep for the average person.

Bottom line, now that I’ve finished the book, I’ve been challenged in the area of growing in holiness in “the little things:” obedience and holiness begins there.  We all know that if we get enough small things together, they become big.

Very related to holiness is the matter of abiding in Christ and having communion with Him. I know…I’ve heard all the facts and passed all the theology exams in school, but the dots are only now slowly connecting on how exactly I am to abide in Him.

For starters, the statement “We obey as we abide and abide as we obey” (pg. 127) is simplistic yet profound. And it helped me to understand a little better the truth that sometimes abiding means simply doing what we know we are supposed to be doing! (In other words, obeying!) Obedience is what God desires of His children.  And in doing so, we not only show our love for Him, but we also abide in Christ, the Vine.  If I'm not obeying those things that I already know I am supposed to be doing, I don't know how I can be, in turn, be growing to become more like Him.

Another aspect of abiding in Christ is to pursue communion with Him through prayer and the Word. (page 129, 131) There's no doubt that prayer should be an integral part of the believer's spiritual walk and growth. About being in the Word, Jesus said that “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7) Christ and His words are one and the same.  Furthermore, in Christ’s prayer, He says “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)  As DeYoung says, “We take hold of Christ as his words take hold of us.” (page 131)  

Applying these truths becomes incredibly practical: learn to take captive idle thoughts and moments and spend it instead in communion through prayer!  Also, spending time actually reading and studying the Bible is the #1 place to start in making the Word more a part of my daily life, and memorizing scripture could be listed as #2! 

And that is why I say I’ve been convicted and challenged to grow in holiness in the area of “the little things”:

It starts with choosing to spend an idle moment praying for a friend in need or praising God for what He’s done. In other words, learning to “pray without ceasing.”

Becoming more holy is about being faithful in studying the Word for myself.

Finally, striving towards holiness should be the goal for every believer, for holiness is ultimately about becoming more Christ-like.  Oh what a day that will be when the work that He has begun in us is completed!