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 | | When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight For Joy by John Piper ISBN-10: 9781581346527 ISBN-10: 1-58134-652-2 ISBN-13: 9781581346527 ISBN-13: 978-1-58134-652-7 Paperback 2004-09-21 Crossway Books Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description For over twenty-five years John Piper has trumpeted the truth that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” He calls it Christian Hedonism. The problem is that many people, after being persuaded, find that this truth is both liberating and devastating. It’s liberating because it endorses our inborn desire for joy. And it’s devastating because it reveals that we don’t desire God the way we should. What do you do when you discover the good news that God wants you to be content in him, but then find that you aren’t? If joy in God were merely the icing on the cake of Christian commitment, this book would be insignificant. But Piper argues that joy is so much more. Our being satisfied in God is necessary to show God’s worthiness and to sustain sacrifices of love. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. He tasted it. It sustained him through the deepest suffering. His Father was glorified. His people were saved. That is what joy in God does. The absolutely urgent question becomes: What can I do if I don’t have it? With a pastor’s heart and with radical passion for the glory of Christ, John Piper helps you answer that question. | ||
Reviews | ||
Much of the medicine that's needed today John Piper's When I Don't Desire God is hands down one of the best, most well balanced, theologically on-point books I have ever read. It is my opinion that most Christians, especially in America, especially who deal day in-day out, with a stale spiritual life, should read this book. Although I am a subscriber to the Desiring God blog, on which Piper is a regular author, and besides having seen Piper speak on several occasion, this is only the second book from Piper that I've read all the way through. He has a somewhat peculiar writing style that takes a chapter or two to adjust to and I hadn't managed to do it in the past. But this time I did and it was well worth it. Piper sets out in the beginning of the book to relay some ground work for folks who aren't already in tune with the idea of Christian Hedonism. It's essentially the idea that a person should do absolutely whatever is necessary to make themselves happy. So, to be a Christian Hedonist would be to believe that knowing God and enjoying God is essentially the only real way to be happy. He relays the foundation of biblical truth spoken of extensively in other works that "God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him". The ideas are laced together to create a framework to teach the weary and the bored that we must "rejoice always in the Lord". (Philippians 4:4). Throughout his text, he stays strikingly well balanced. Teaching, from the scripture, many profound spiritual truths--however abstract they may be. But scarcely does he introduce a spiritual truth without pairing it with a practical implementation. The best example of Piper's skill here is during his discussion of the word of God and it's place in our lives. He spends one chapter discussing the spiritual truths and implications of the word of God, but then follows immediately with an entire chapter of helpful, time tested ideas of how to live out those truths. Finally the last chapter focuses on the occasion that a person seeks hard to enjoy God and be satisfied by Him, but is not. In that discussion I found great encouragement and strength for my own soul. That chapter alone perhaps was worth the entire book. When I Don't Desire God finishes out at 234 pages and spans across 12 chapters. In addition to that, each chapter is broken up into a dozen or so subsections that make picking it up and putting it down very easy. It effectively removes excuses for not reading by making sure that you don't necessarily have to read for more than just a few minutes, if that's all you've got available to you. All in all, I recommend this book to all believers. It's affordable and valuable and is likely to stir you in unexpected ways. | ||
Consider what Jesus said This review has Dr. Piper's "Desiring God" book in mind, but I am spreading this post around for those who, like me, feel uneasy with Dr. Piper's main point. I am restricting my review to that because--from what I can tell--it has become central to his whole outlook on God and life. It appears to have metastasized into almost all his writings. He spoke at a plenary session of our denomination and if I remember correctly he said something like, "this is my theology." Here it is: "What is the chief end of man? To glorify God BY enjoying Him forever." And, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." Dr. Piper teaches that this is the supreme testimony of Scripture regarding glorifying God. He would have us adopt it as the highest priority in our lives. He is saying, in effect, God being glorified in us ultimately rests on whether or not this is happening. I read this years ago and the more I have thought about it in the light of the life of Christ the more uneasy I have become. But it has taken me years to find words for my uneasiness. Here is my best attempt so far. My question has been, What does Jesus Himself have to say about glorifying God? Or, more specifically, did He say anything about HOW He personally glorified God? If Dr. Piper's theme is, in truth, at the heart of glorifying God on earth, then we can be sure Jesus certainly would have spoken to it. I cannot believe that He would have left the question open on a matter of such transcendent importance. What did Jesus say about how He brought glory to God on earth? One reference emerged in my study. He said, in His High Priestly prayer: "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." John 17:4, niv. (If I missed a passage please point it out in the comments. I welcome correction.) Do you read anything in those statements to the effect that the Son of God glorified God primarily through enjoying Him or through being satisfied in God? I have no doubt that Jesus certainly did. But I don't see here or in any aspect of His life and teaching that He made that foundational. As I see it, my Master brought glory to God by completing His Father's assignment, and so with me as His disciple. I do not doubt that He will give me joy and satisfaction in Him throughout the journey. He has already--far more than I can possibly contain--but if that were the main point in glorifying God, I am convinced that Jesus would have told us explicitly that that is the main point. Why only a one star review? Because how we glorify God is immeasurable in terms of its significance and impact. We are talking about ultimate reasons that affect everything we do all day long. Like having the right motive in something--if we get that wrong, everything is wrong. Dr. Piper, in my estimation, has substituted in a secondary good for the primary one Jesus revealed in His prayer. And whereas in other matters in life that may not do much damage, with ultimate concerns it ends up being a colossal distraction. In stark contrast to "Christian Hedonism," consider what Thomas Kelly wrote in his "Testament of Devotion:" "When you are obeying to the uttermost you even forget about yourself." | ||
Just a comment I have read a few of Piper's books, but I have not read this book. I agree with J. W. Redding's well-articulated comments. Piper's theme in most of his books, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him," just never resonated with me. But Piper's book, "Don't Waste Your Life," has a slightly different emphasis that really does resonate with me: "Make much of Christ." | ||
When I Don't Desire God A profound, well-written book that addresses a critical facet of the Christian's relationship with God. A professor at Covenant Seminary in Saint Louis recommends this book as one of the three most important books he has ever read, and I wholeheartedly agree. In the mountain of Christian literature currently in print this book is diamond. | ||
insightful and profound even after multiple readings I'm in the middle of my third pass through this book. I find myself underlining new things, struck by Piper's passionate exhortation to trust God and fight for joy in Him. If you find yourself spiritually lazy and apathetic, I can't commend this book to you enough. | ||