Nothing New: What Should We Pursue? (Part 2)

Introduction

Welcome to “Nothing New.” The goal of my blog in the past has been to stimulate discussion about all things related to CBC, the Christian life, and the world at large. But it has recently been hijacked by my cancer and treatment. This means I have to eat some crow (which I hate) because early on I boldly claimed I would not allow my condition to take center stage in my life.

But it is taking center stage on my blog – for a while. I am rather torn about this development. I am uncomfortable making this all about me – because it’s not. It is strangely therapeutic for me to blog about this, however, and I cannot express even a fraction of my appreciation for everyone who reads and leaves their funny, weird, and /or encouraging words in comments and emails.

So please join with me in dialogue. I always look forward to reading your comments. (If you'd like to follow my cancer journey from day 1, please go to my post on 6/25/08 - Life Takes Guts - in the archives and follow the posts upwards from there.)

Thursday, August 9, 2007

What Should We Pursue? (Part 2)

I’ve finished reading a book by Bill Hybels that I think provides a contrast to the theme we find in John Piper’s.

In Holy Discontent, Hybels describes the times in our Christian lives when we should NOT be happy. In fact, according to Hybels, rather than pursuing happiness, we ought to pursue and fan the flames of discontentment. There are things in our world and in our lives that should bring us discomfort, anger, and unhappiness. After all, there are things that make God angry and unhappy. When we join with Him in those reactions, He can ignite in us a vision for redemption and restoration.

It may be that if we were to put Hybels and Piper in the same room and told them to come to some consensus about the importance of happiness in the Christian life, they would be able to do so rather quickly. But consider Hybels words (all from Holy Discontent) in relation to Piper’s from part 1.

Here’s the money quote:

"The trouble with contentedness is that, when lived out in isolation, it can be lethal! If you’re not careful, you will become lulled into a state of satisfaction, safety, and serenity, and you’ll altogether neglect the needs in the world that should elicit deep discontent when you see them going unmet." (pg 29)

These are good, too.

"Still today, what wrecks the heart of someone who loves God is often the very thing God wants to use to fire them up to do something that, under normal circumstances, they would never attempt to do." (pg 25)

"The most inspired, motivated, and driven people I know are the ones who live their lives from the energy of their holy discontent. They have a constant awareness that what is wrecking them is wrecking the heart of God." (pg 27)

"Get close to your holy discontent because when you feed rather than flee it, God will birth new visions in you to become part of the solution." (pg 71)

"Determine now that you will never insulate yourself from what wrecks you. Instead, increase your exposure…and then hang on to your hat, because real living is going to rock your world…." (pg 74)

On this issue of happiness, Hybels’ words resonate with my spirit more so than those of Piper’s. Of course, the validity of a viewpoint is not based on how well it resonates with me. Validity is based on how well it resonates with the totality of Scripture. And I’m still searching.