Christian Hedonism

I've always been a pretty serious guy...mostly. I actually think that I've lightened up as I've grown older. But as a kid, my mom would always challenge me as I was heading to some camp or retreat or special event, saying, "Hang loose and have fun." It fell into the same catagory as "Don't talk to strangers." or "Look both ways before crossing the road." or "Wash your hands before eating." It's just one of those things that moms say.

I don't know why I needed reminding to have fun and not take life so seriously, but I did. Even as adults, we sometimes take life a bit too seriously.

In our faith, we focus on the duty of following Jesus. The Big Ten keep us in check. Then there's the whole beattitudes and Sermon On the Mount and the whole "love your enemies" thing. There's a lot that we're supposed to do and not do in order to do the faith thing correctly.

But there's one thing that is often left off the list...have fun, find pleasure.

John Piper, in several of his writing, espouses a philosophy known as Christian Hedonism. In other words, one of our disciplines as a Christ-follower is to delight and find pleasure in God.

C.S. Lewis said something like this: We are like kids who spend their time making mud pies in the slums because we can't even imagine a holiday at the sea. He concludes that "we are too easily pleased."

It's true. We look for pleasure in things like sex, food, alcohol, competition, recreation. Those things can bring pleasure, in a sense -- they can at least help us escape the pain of life. But true pleasure, the kind that feeds the soul, is found in walking with Jesus and pleasing Him. The affirmation of His Spirit in my spirit brings joy beyond words.

I'm finding this to be true in my life. The more I walk with Jesus and submit myself to him, the more I laugh and enjoy life. I laugh alot. I love to laugh. I love to find pleasure.

This Christian Hedonism thing just might work...

Peace on the journey,

M@