tohu va bohu

I am currently reading The Hidden Smile of Godby John Piper. It is one of three biographical works in the series “The Swans are Not Silent.” I’m sure at least of few of you are familiar with these books; others have probably even read some or perhaps even all of them. My current project is book two in the series, briefly covering the “fruit of affliction” in the lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainard.

I finished reading the chapter on William Cowper this morning. It is somewhat startling, perhaps raising as many questions as providing answers. Nevertheless, I’m glad that I read the chapter. It will give me much to think about over the next few days I’m sure.

One of the thoughts that resonated deepest with me was Piper’s observation on the “healthy give of self-forgetfulness.” In talking about Cowper’s almost paralyzing tendency to look inside himself Piper says:

Periodic self-examination is needed and wise and biblical. But for the most part, mental health is the use of the mind to focus on worthy reality outside ourselves.

He goes on to quote a similar idea from C.S. Lewis:

In introspection we try to look ‘inside ourselves’ and see what is going on. But nearly everything that was going on a moment before is stopped by the very act of our turning to look at it. (So) the surest way of spoiling a pleasure is to stat examining your satisfaction. C.S. Lewis

There are so many people today whose eyes never really leave themselves. They are always concerned with their own sadness, their own difficulties, their own loneliness, etc. But even though I know that problems do not necessarily just dissapear, I wonder if the problems would still dominate a person who considered others more than themselves.

The happiest times in my life are not the times when I am looking to see if I am happy or not. The most fulfilling times for me are not the ones where I am making sure to get filled. Joy, pleasure, and satisfaction come for me not when I am focused on securing them for myself, but when I am busy attempting to secure them for others. This is one of the reasons why using your spiritual giftnedness is so important. Not only does it do the Body good, it results in you forgetting about yourself for a while. Serving and helping and ministering to others is God’s plan for the good of others, but it may also be one of His gifts to us.

Now don’t run away from the blog determined to try and forget about yourself. A concentrated effort to do so will only increase your awareness of yourself. It is similar to telling a five year old: “Don’t think about a pink elephant.”

However, this does not mean you are helpless in the matter, nor that you must passively wait for some forgetful state to fall on you. Rather than trying to forget yourself, proactively think about and serve others. Fill up your time with encouraging and helping someone(s) other than yourself. Provide little or no free time for your mind to even think about how sad you are.

I am not saying that your sadness will be automatically dispelled simply by not thinking about it. But it is at least worth your time to consider that others may have greater sadness than you, and that by your reaching out to them you yourself may find joy in the service. Let our “outlook” be happy in and for Christ.