I have a problem with church. I can sing about how lovely life is and then walk outside and find it has NO connection. So, imagine my happiness at FINALLY beginning 'Desiring God' by John Piper (yes, Johnny, finally) and finding the intro to echo my own questions. Piper has found that singing in the sanctuary and suffering in the streets are in fact ONE experience of worship.
Piper is perhaps most famous for his lifelong mantra: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. He calls himself a Christian hedonist... The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful... the pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue.
This is liberating! There is a very real philosophy which says that if you ENJOY working with the poor, you have essentially been selfish. If you gain PLEASURE from playing music, then it was not a gift of worship to God, but self-indulgence.
Piper is smashing this. God made us emotional, and He made us to crave pleasure. This is not a natural tendency designed to stump us, but designed to maximise life and make it good!
It's ok to love dance, or music, or the Imperial War Museum - just do it well! Do it fully, indulge your fascination and excel. And through it, KNOW God, praise God for achievement, and seek Him more for a deeper engagement with your pleasure.
