A Look at How We Think God Looks at Pleasure: RRE 43
Religion Ruins Everything Daily 10.23.16 from One Life Network on Vimeo.
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17–19 NIV
C. S. Lewis
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
Living in this area, there are a lot of people that have heard about the Bible and Christianity. They may have a lot of extra ideas about Jesus, but they wouldn’t say they don’t believe in Him. People intellectually believe, they don’t reject things, but they also don’t commit.
Many times that comes out in a passive rebellion just like Adam and Even went through “I wanted to do my own thing, I didn’t reject God, I just don’t want to submit.”
Many people know God is out there, but they resist because they want to do their own thing. That often translates into pleasure. It’s easy to think that if I submit myself to God, I’ll have to give up some pleasure or that God doesn’t want me to experience pleasure. It is great to be able to answer that question with a statement about what you have experienced since submitting yourself to God. There is a point in your spiritual life where you fully commit and see that life is best with God in the driver’s seat. I’ve learned that when I lay down my life, I experience things better than what people consider pleasure. God is worth our full commitment, and His joy and pleasure is the greatest kind.