To hear some people talk about God, believers and unbelievers alike, God is the ultimate source of non-fun. God is seen as a “buzz kill” or “killjoy.” If anyone is going to suck all the fun out of the room and out of life itself, we usually think of God as that guy.
I think such a perspective about God is not only unfortunate, but it’s also wrong.
God Is The Source Of Everything Wonderful
God is the source of all things beautiful and good and wonderful and joyous.
In Psalm 16:11, the psalmist says “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (NASB)
That’s a pretty powerful statement, and one we usually don’t think about when we think about God. Our God is the God of all pleasures. But we don’t typically think of God as the God of all pleasures. That sounds like something we’d read in Greek mythology. Their gods were the source of such things, not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)
And we believe that (even as Christians), because the devil has made us to believe a lie, a lie that he tricked Eve into believing from the beginning of creation.
When God forbade Adam and Eve from eating the fruit from a certain tree in the garden, the devil came along and tempted Eve by making her think God was a killjoy, and that he was withholding good things from her. The devil made Eve think that by following the Lord that she was somehow missing out. And not wanting to miss out, she enjoyed forbidden fruit.
I think we are often that way. As some of you know, I lived a long time as a single individual. And a chaste one at that. I didn’t get married until I was 31. I was faithful to God in my 20’s and kept myself sexually pure due to my relationship with the Lord. There were many opportunities to stray from that path. And at times, it definitely felt like I was “missing out” by not engaging in some of the sexual activities of my friends.
Too Easily Pleased
Looking back on my 20’s though, I’m glad I saved myself for my wife. I don’t feel like I missed out, or that by staying sexually pure for so long that I somehow was being robbed of something by God.
Sexual desires are good desires. They are a gift from God, and something God gave us to enjoy. Just like the appetite that God gave Eve in the garden. God gave Eve a desire to eat. Eating is a great thing. But Eve’s desire was ultimately twisted, and perverted from what God intended for Eve. Such still happens today in a million different ways, not only with sex, but whatever our individual vices are.
The truth is, as C.S. Lewis said, “We are too easily pleased.” The problem is that the devil always tempts us with lesser things. We settle for a cheap burger from McDonalds when what we really want is an awesome burger from Five Guys. We want multiple sex partners instead of the joys of matrimony.
Transformed Desires
When we ultimately see that God isn’t trying to hold out on us, and rob us of a good life, I think such will ultimately transform us. It’ll change not only the way we think about God, but it’ll change our desires themselves.
Instead of easily being satisfied with the lesser things that we so often settle for, we’ll gladly hold out for all the good things that God has for us, knowing such things are for our joy, and without any sorrow being added to it.
Instead of seeing God as a killjoy, we’ll see that the way of the Lord is amazing and beautiful, and that God is the source of all joy and pleasure. And such will ultimately make the Lord the desire of our heart.
