Devotions from GaryThomas book, Pure Pleasure

Peter Kreetf said “I agree that pleasure as such is good, but not that all pleasant things are good.”
In James 4 it says that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. And if we choose to be a friend of the world we become an enemy of God.
“Desire divorced from God becomes decadence. Decadence, in turn, chases away true, godly pleasure. We have an obligation to preserve holy pleasure, in part by approaching God with open, inquiring hands: “May I have this?’” When we run our pleasures by God, He acts as the filter, telling us what will build us and what will destroy us at any given moment. It is not wise to seek pleasure apart from God or we become enslaved. He wants to provide for us and will satisfy and nourish us. So many think that holiness and pleasure are opposites. But Holiness is pleasure’s truest friend. We find spiritual health in trusting that God knows best, and will give us strength to choose the best.

 A test of overpleasure (that is a sense of entitlement), is seen when we have to delay our pleasure or it is taken away and we get very upset. For example the author loves to jog but if his schedule is interrupted and it becomes a major issue, then it has become an overpleasure. We are not entitled to it at all times over and above our relationships and responsibilities.

“The brilliance of Christianity is that it gives us permission to enjoy appropriate pleasure as well as the power to enjoy pleasure without becoming its slave, which in turn preserves pleasure for the long haul.”