Desiring God by John Piper
Week 10: Chapter 9 — Suffering: The Sacrifice of Christian Hedonism
Read Chapter 9 of Desiring God. Key Scripture: Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 3:7–11; Hebrews 12:2.
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The most important test of any theology of joy is whether it can hold up when life falls apart — and in this chapter Piper makes his most searching and pastoral argument.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Piper calls suffering "the sacrifice of Christian Hedonism" — a phrase that sounds almost contradictory. How can suffering be part of a philosophy built on joy? What does Piper mean?
2.Piper draws on Paul's extraordinary claim in 2 Corinthians 4:17 that present sufferings are "a light momentary affliction" preparing for us "an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." What enables Paul to see his sufferings — which were severe by any measure — as light? What role does joy play in this reframing?
3.Piper argues that suffering is one of the primary ways God deepens, purifies, and authenticates our joy in him — by stripping away the counterfeit satisfactions we are tempted to rely on. Have you experienced suffering that drove you closer to God rather than further away? What made the difference?
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