I enjoy doing things that are fun. Pleasurable things are certainly not bad and should be undertaken, but in the right frame of mind and not in a way that could or does bring harm to others.
“1But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)
It is important to remember that I am here to please God and not myself. I am here to do His will and further His kingdom by bringing the Gospel to all. I cannot do that if I am always focused on my own pleasure and thinking of only myself.
When I accepted Christ, I accepted a New Self. One that is filled with love for others and a spirit to do right by all. When I take on the action of verses 2 – 5, I am only thinking of my Old Self, the one that cared about getting mine and making sure that I am pleased.
The fact is that my Old Self is not important at all. I have to focus on the pleasure of God with the New Self He gave freely to me. And with that focus, my own pleasure will be realized in the rewards I receive, maybe not here in this world, but they will be realized and I will get to enjoy them.
I will have pleasure, in this world, but not in the actions of the verses above. I will have pleasure through the glorification of God as I spread the Gospel and bring visibility to my Lord and Savior.
When you approach life, are you working to please yourself or God? If you accepted the gift of salvation, are you still trying to get pleasure from the world? Will you work to please God as thanks for the New Self He gave, by glorifying Him and bringing the Gospel to all?
Trevor's Thoughts 