The Deepest Part of You: Balancing Emotions and Choices in Pursuit of Joy

The Deepest Part of You: Emotions or Choices?

What defines the real you? Is it your spontaneous and unguarded emotions, or the choices you make with purpose and intention? In other words, do your feelings that arise from your heart define who you are, or are the choices you make more fundamental to your identity?

As a professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary, I teach a class on "Foundations of Christian Hedonism." We explore the teachings of the Bible alongside authors such as Piper, Edwards, and Lewis. We discuss the supremacy of God, the significance of the affections, the Christian life, and pastoral ministry. This topic is endlessly fascinating.

One of the most thought-provoking aspects of the class is discovering disagreements and tensions between our favorite Christian Hedonists and exploring them together. Last semester, we encountered a seeming dissonance between how Piper describes the role of...

The Importance of Choices

Although emotions are a vital part of the human experience, they are not the deepest part of us. Rather, it is our choices that are most fundamental to who we are. Our choices reveal our values, priorities, and character. They reflect our faith and our obedience to God.

The Bible is full of examples of people who made choices that defined their identity. Consider Moses, who chose to identify with his people and suffer affliction rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:24-26). Or Mary, who chose to believe the angel's message and submit to God's plan for her life (Luke 1:38). Or Paul, who chose to count everything as loss for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:7-9).

Our choices matter because they shape our character. When we choose to obey God, we become more like him. When we choose sin, we become more like the world. As Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Our choices are a reflection of our love for God and our desire to obey him.

The Role of Emotions

Although emotions are not the deepest part of us, they are still an essential part of the human experience. God created us with emotions, and they can be a powerful tool for worshiping him and fulfilling his purposes for us.

Consider the psalms, which are filled with emotional expressions of praise, thanksgiving, and lament. David pours out his heart to God, expressing his joy and his sorrow, his gratitude and his anger. He does not hold back his emotions but brings them before God in honest and authentic worship.

Similarly, Jesus himself experienced a range of emotions during his earthly ministry. He wept at the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11:35), he was moved with compassion for the crowds (Matthew 9:36), and he was indignant at the money changers in the temple (Mark 11:15-17). Jesus experienced emotions, but he never allowed them to control him. Rather, he submitted them to the will of his Father and used them to accomplish God's purposes.

The Goal of Christian Hedonism

So what is Christian Hedonism, and how does it relate to the role of emotions and choices in our lives? Christian Hedonism is the belief that the pursuit of pleasure is not only permissible but also essential for the Christian life. John Piper, one of the leading proponents of Christian Hedonism, defines it this way:

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."

According to Piper, the goal of the Christian life is not merely to obey God but to find our ultimate joy and satisfaction in him. We should delight in God as our greatest treasure and pursue him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

But how do we do this? How do we find joy and satisfaction in God? Piper argues that it is through the pursuit of pleasure that we find our greatest joy in God. We should pursue pleasure in God because he is the source of all true pleasure. When we seek pleasure in anything else, we will ultimately be disappointed. But when we seek pleasure in God, we will find joy that never fades.

In other words, Christian Hedonism is not about seeking pleasure for its own sake but about seeking pleasure in the right things. It is about pursuing pleasure in God and finding our ultimate satisfaction in him.

The Balance of Emotions and Choices

So how do we balance the role of emotions and choices in our pursuit of pleasure in God? How do we ensure that our emotions are leading us closer to God rather than away from him?

First, we must recognize that our emotions are not infallible. They can be influenced by our circumstances, our past experiences, and even our physical state. We must be aware of the ways in which our emotions can deceive us and distort our perception of reality.

Second, we must submit our emotions to the authority of Scripture. The Bible is our standard for truth, and we must measure our emotions against its teachings. If our emotions are leading us away from God's Word, we must reject them and choose to obey God instead.

Third, we must cultivate the right emotions through intentional choices. We cannot control our emotions, but we can choose to pursue the things that will lead us to the right emotions. We can choose to spend time in prayer, worship, and Bible study, which will cultivate our love for God and our desire to obey him. We can choose to serve others, which will cultivate our compassion and empathy.

In short, the balance of emotions and choices lies in submitting our emotions to the authority of Scripture and cultivating the right emotions through intentional choices. When we do this, we will find that our emotions and our choices are working together to lead us closer to God and to fulfill his purposes for our lives.

The Ultimate Joy

Ultimately, our pursuit of pleasure in God is not just about our own joy and satisfaction but about God's glory. When we find our ultimate joy in him, we bring him the greatest glory. As Piper writes, "The pursuit of joy in God is not optional. It is not an 'extra' that a person might grow into after he comes to faith. Until your heart has hit upon this pursuit, your 'faith' cannot please God."

May we be a people who pursue pleasure in God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. May we find our ultimate joy in him and bring him the greatest glory.