JOY

I'm just going to post a bunch of random quotes from my favorite book "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy". I like how Piper always points us back to the basics: Joy comes from God and being content and complete in Him.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

"For there exists a delight that is not given to the wicked, but to those honoring Thee, O God, without desiring recompense, the joy of whom Thou art Thyself! And this blessed life, to rejoice towards Thee, about Thee, for Thy sake."

"If God alone is enough to support joy when all else is lost, it is a mircale of grace." (again, joy comes from God...it is a gift totally undeserved!)

"The final object of our pursuit is joy itself, rather than the beauty of what we find joy in. This is a very common mistake."

"Our chief end is to glorify God...we do so most fully when we treasure him, desire him, delight in him so supremely that we let goods and kindred go and display his love to the poor and the lost."

"Surely this is a battle worth fighting for [the battle for joy]. It may seem strange at first, but when we seewhat is at stake, no battle will seem more important. Loving Christ involves delight in his Person. Without this love no one goes to heaven. Therefore there is no more importnat struggle in the universe than the struggle to see and savor Christ above all things--the struggle for joy."

"Our joy in him will be greater because we see him as the one who gives both the joy and the strength to fight for it."

"It is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God, and to rejoice in him always; at all times, in all conditions; even we suffer for him, or are afflicted by him. We must not think the worse of him or of his ways for the hardships we meet with in his service. There is enough in GOd to furnish us with matter of joy in the worst circumstance on earth...Joy in God is a duty of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it."

"God's aim in all that he does is to glorify himself. This invovles both radiance from God and reflection from creation. His glory streams out from himself, and it streams back again in many ways, especailly when he is treasured and enjoyed by his people."

"All strategies in the fight for joy are directly or indirectly stratigies to see Christ more fully."

Those are just a few of the parts I have underlined in the book! I highly recommend reading it! :)

blessings,
becca