When I Don't Desire God (Redesign): How to Fight for Joy

For decades, 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? 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.

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.

Why I wrote this book : sustaining the sacrifice of love -- What is the difference between desire and delight? : discovering how both and neither is the goal -- The call to fight for joy in God : taking God's demand for delight seriously -- Joy in God is a gift of God : doing ourselves what must be done for us -- The fight for joy is a fight to see : valuing God through the eyes of the heart and the ears of the head -- Fighting for joy like a justified sinner: learning the secret of gutsy guilt -- The worth of God's Word in the fight for joy : seeing the measure of this mighty weapon -- How to wield the Word in the fight for joy : musing, memorizing, and the message of God -- The focus of prayer in the fight for joy: desiring all else only because we desire God -- The practice of prayer in the fight for joy : morning, noon, and evening without ceasing -- How to wield the world in the fight for joy : using all five senses to see the glory of God -- When the darkness does not lift : doing what we can while we wait for God--and joy We all want to experience liberating, love-producing, risk-taking satisfaction in God. But the reality is that we often struggle to find, and hold onto, true and lasting joy—even when we have embraced the good news of God's grace. So we face a crucial question: What should I do when I don't desire God? John Piper aims to help us find joy in Jesus that is so deep and so strong that it frees us from bondage to comfort and security, and impels us to live merciful and missional lives. Written with the radical hope that all Christians would experience the fullness of life in Christ, this book will help you fight for joy daily by leading you to rediscover the soul-satisfying glory of God. Explaining how to become a "Christian hedonist," a bestselling author offers guidance on how to find spiritual joy to readers who are unsure of where to seek it The author offers guidance on how to find spiritual joy to readers who are unsure of how and where to seek it