The best homework there is

So, I am officially done with classes this term. I finished one paper last night and I am starting the second one today, hoping to finish before next Wednesday. I am at a new coffee shop with a caramel latte in hand and it is raining outside. I am thankful to be alive and well today.

Although I would love to share with all of you all that I have learned this semester, I do not have the time or ability to verbalize all of that. So, I thought it would be a good idea to take an excerpt from my paper. Below, are the last two paragraphs of my reflection on the pleasures of God. I hope you enjoy.

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Through this course and the book Pleasures of God, my view of God has been enriched in many ways. I've learned how God's self-sufficiency is for our benefit. I was impacted greatly when Piper wrote "You can't bribe a mountain spring with bucketfuls of water from the valley" (pg. 32). That image was seared on my mind through out the twelve weeks of this course. Everything within me wants to stop my foolishness in bringing bucketfuls of water to the overflowing mountain spring, and just come empty to drink of His living water. And in the process of me drinking of his water, and coming back for more and more, He will be glorified. I learned in this course that the complexity of the Christian life and the daily war within can be eased by simply going back to these Biblical truths. As I daily wrestle with my sin, and my flesh and spirit are at war, instead of constantly being discouraged, I can look to my happy God and recount the ways He is delighted in my need for more of Him.

I have learned that in discovering the pleasures of God, we see His glory, worth and excellency, and we are transformed into His likeness and are able to manifest His glory in the church. In my own life, as I work on application of these sweet Biblical truths, I will strive to live in a way that declares the glory of God in all that I say and do. I will look to my infinitely happy God in moments of discouragement and find joy in Him. I will plead with God to remind me of the pleasure He has in his Son and in the atoning sacrifice which has imputed righteousness from Christ to me, an adopted daughter. I will ask the Spirit to intercede on my behalf when I do not know for what to pray. I will beg for a humble and contrite heart and faith like a child daily. And I will communicate with others, whether in difficulties or joys, all that God is doing within me so that I may never boast in myself, but only in the Lord. Now that I know more about the pleasures of God, and therefore His character, I will share with others these things that make our God so great. By the grace of God, I plan on making it a point to observe the beauty of nature, meditate on the saving work of Christ, and marvel in the illumination of Scripture more often. I will speak of God as a happy God and will praise His name. I am excited to use all I have learned in this course as I minister to believers and non-believers around me. With the help of the Spirit, I think I'll be able to better portray God as He is when sharing the gospel. Due to the nature of my work and the frequent opportunities I have to give spiritual counsel, I plan on daily using many things I have learned from this class. I have thoroughly enjoyed studying the pleasures of God alongside other brothers and sisters, and I can honestly say I am a much happier person after learning more about my happy God.