I finally picked up the Piper book I’ve been wanting for some time; Think: The Life of the Mind and the of God.  It has proven, thus far, to be both convicting and encouraging. 

One particular area that has convicted me is that I have become lax in thinking deeply.  That may come as a surprise to some, but I think that the obligations of seminary coupled with the difficulties of ministry has caused me to think in a hurried way.  I don’t ponder much anymore.  And I’m convicted about that. 

Here is one particular section in Piper’s book that I found encouraging and convicting:

“…all training is painful and frustrating on the way to skills that later become second nature and lead to greater joy.  The person who will not embrace the pain and frustration will remain at lower levels of achievement and joy…If you cannot embrace the pain of learning but must have instant gratification, you forfeit the greatest rewards of life.”  (47)

Good stuff.  And I think the way that many of us read blogs and books is to skim them for instant gratification and not to chew on them.  Granted every blog (in fact many blogs) are not meant to be chewed on and not really worthy of deep pondering.  But when we carry over our blog reading skills to deeper things (such as Scripture) we rob ourselves of joy.