Don't Waste Your Life

The busyness of the summer coupled with my intense desire to relax and do nothing has allowed me to see my tendancy to become self-focused. One of my favorite worship songs has in it the verse..."It's all about you, Jesus". Well lately, it's been all about me...me, me, me. It's so easy to think that this world revolves around me...it is selfish & prideful.

I think we all have within us a desire to be & do what we were created for. To live a purposeful life and to not waste it. One of my favorite books is by John Piper titled, "Don't Waste Your Life". Here is what he says about the foolishness of being self-focused and how joy only comes when we can learn to run away from the mirror, constantly evaluating our own feelings, and look outside ourselves to a Magnificent God.

"The really wonderful moments of joy in this world are not the moments of self-satisfaction, but self-forgetfulness. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon and contemplating your own greatness is pathological. At such moments we are made for a magnificent joy that comes from outside ourselves. And each of these rare precious moments in life-beside the Canyon, before the Alps, under the stars-is an echo of a far greater excellence, namely, the glory of God."

Earlier on Piper talks about how we can falsely believe that joy comes from us feeling good about ourselves and building up our self-esteem. He says that this is like going to the Alps & being locked in a room filled with mirrors. There is no joy in that. So the next time I become consumed with what tile to pick for the bathroom, or bothered because my daughter woke up at 6am to tell me she was awake, I need to direct my gaze at the One who created all things beautiful & magnificent and the One who can give me rest when I am weary.