I Believe in God, but I Just Want to Have FunSýnishorn

FUN or ESCAPE?

“From all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, Good Lord deliver us.” (The Book of Common Prayer)

Yesterday we learned that we were created for the Garden, but we live in a broken world. So, instead of looking to the Gardener to satisfy our souls, we search and search, looking to creation, people, and the world around us to find meaning, purpose, and fun.

John warns the Church in his first letter that the desires of the flesh are not from the Father but from the world. The pleasures and fun we crave are often sin in disguise. One more drink, one more picture, one more dance, one more swipe of the credit card, one more white lie so that I can get what I want—each of these choices aims at gratifying a craving within us. The problem is that nothing this world offers will satisfy. True fun, true pleasure, is found in the love of the Father.

Ask Yourself:

-What are your go-to “escapes” for fun when life gets hard? Do those things encourage your heart? Heal your soul? Satisfy deeply?

-What does it look like to enjoy the presence of God?

Pause to Pray: Lord, for too long, I have run to this thing/person/habit to try to satisfy the craving in my heart for fun and pleasure. But, Jesus, I truly believe that I want more of You.

Take a Next Step: Commit to finishing this reading plan and reading through a book of the Bible in the next month. Read and hear His Word, sit in the presence of the Father, and ask Him to lead you to true satisfaction and joy.