Dang I’m tired.
Me and Sam, chilling in the Houston airport, waiting on our
connecting flight to Newark, NJ, then on to Belfast, UK. It’s the first time I
can remember sitting down and being still in the past several days.
I knew that this week was gonna be a doozy, but it still hit
me pretty hard. The trip to Guatemala was amazing, but tiring. Finals almost
killed me. One last hoorah with the guys Thursday night was a great way to end
the semester with a bang. Saying goodbye to friends at school was emotionally
draining. Long drive back home was really hard because I was so tired. There
were times when I almost think that God was the only thing keeping me on the
road as I nodded off. I only got 3
hours of sleep last night, and then had to get up and do all my packing. I’ll
admit I’m beginning to drag my feet just a little. But the more tired I get the
more I appreciate how awesome it is that God has brought me here.
This situation is kinda familiar: I was sitting next to Sam
the first time I knew for sure I was supposed to go on this trip. I knew that I
wanted to, that I could accomplish the mission and do good. But I had some
issues with my motives. I didn’t want to taint the spirit of the mission by
going only because it was gonna be fun, or because I wanted to. I needed
assurance that it was God’s will that I go. Until I received that assurance I had
decided that it was more noble to forsake my own selfish desires and just not go.
Me and Sam had gotten out of class early that day and decided to go to the student
center to chill until our next class stated. About 40 minutes to rest and
collect our selves. As we sat down, I had the option of grabbing a textbook and
doing some reading for class. But, being the wise, responsible, time managing
person that I am, I decided I was in the mood for lighter material. I asked Sam
if he had anything I could pleasure read, and he handed me the last thing I
ever expected I would read: “Desiring God” by John Piper.
I had never read Piper before, but I knew good and well who
he was, or at least I thought I did. Up until this point, I had only heard
people throw his name around; Piper said this, and John Piper quote that. I had
no personal problem with the man himself, but I had always been very hesitant
to have anything to do with him. The controversial issues that he teaches so
strongly about, coupled with the way over-zealous people I’ve known put him up
on some holier-than-us-all pedestal had really put a bad taste in my mouth. But
when Sam handed me that book, I decided to trust him and crack it open. I only
had a few minutes, and I wasn’t obligated to finish it if I didn’t like it.
I will try to relate the revelation that followed from
memory, but its gonna be kinda had because I don’t have the book here with me
to make exact quotes from: The opening chapter introduces the concept of
Christian Hedonism, and explains in depth what it is. Christian Hedonism is a frame of mind that is consumed by the undeniable desire to do the will of God and advance His good pleasure. Piper
attains to this philosophy, and explains that the foundation of Christian Hedonism is the
happiness of God.
Because He is the ultimate ruler, God is perfectly justified in seeking
His own pleasure. He has the right to make himself happy. And because God is
our father, we cannot be happy if He is unhappy. Therefore, and the final point
being, If God is happy, then we should be happy. God will not fail in acquiring
His own pleasure, so if our happiness is as perfectly in sync with God’s
happiness as it should be, then something that pleases us could not possibly
displease God.
Now, there is one very important qualifier in that train of logic. Not
everything that makes every human being happy pleases God. Only if a person’s
desires are matched with God’s will, the things he desires match the things God
desires.
So, lets look at what we’ve discovered here: If we’re in tune with God’s
character, then the things that make us happy will also be the pleasure and
desire of God. As long as we’re focused on God, then we shouldn’t have to
question the desires of our hearts because they will only contain the desires
of God’s heart.
As I read this concept, and trust me I had to reread the page and a half
it was written on several times before I could wrap my head around it, I could
feel my guilt starting to wash away. I deeply desired to go on this trip. But
even more I knew that I truly wanted to serve God. Once I felt assured that the
desire to go on such a great adventure came from God, I felt emboldened. God
was not giving me an opportunity to go because He knew I would enjoy it. He was
giving me the opportunity because He knew that He would enjoy it. Having the
freedom to do the things that excite you, all for the glory of God, is a
feeling like no other.
I didn’t have to think about it much longer. I knew there would still be
other issues to straighten out, things to check out to make sure the
opportunity wasn’t imaginary, but 90% of the obstacles were removed sitting
right there in the student center.
“Hey Sam…”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to Ireland with you.”
“Alright.”
-Ethan Bossier
12 hours to Belfast
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