Is Pleasure Wrong?

Guys, what drives you? What causes you to climb out of bed and face the world in the morning?

What I am talking about is your motivation.

We are all motivated by something. Something turns our crank and causes us to desire some type of activity, achievement, purpose or progress in life. What is it for you?

One of the motivations the Bible speaks of as inappropriate is the pursuit of pleasure...

"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:1-3).

That's a hard-hitting passage, but one worthy of attention.

Modern research tells us that the pursuit of pleasure is what drives most people's decisions these days. There is actually a pleasure-inducing chemical in the brain called 'dopamine' that 'rewards' us with pleasurable feelings for choosing certain stimuli such as, where to go on a vacation, what foods to eat - even the intake of alcohol or narcotics.

How do you feel about that? Is it wrong to feel pleasure?

God is not against pleasure. However, He is against selfish or harmful pleasure.

In the verses cited above, the word for pleasure, in the original language of the New Testament, is hedone (HEE-do-nay), the word we get our word, hedonism from.

Hedonism was actually an ancient philosophy that argued that the only intrinsic worth in life is the pursuit of pleasure. If an activity did not produce pleasure, it was not worthy of a Hedonist's time or energy.

While our culture may not engage in the actual philosophy of Hedonism, it is certainly very Hedonistic. Drug and alcohol addiction is rampant - pornography and sex addiction as well. Overeating and food addictions are also prevalent.

Is this a cultural problem, or are people just acting out of what the Bible calls, our fallen nature?

I believe the overall tendency of fallen man is to be Hedonistic - to act out of what makes us feel good, whether that behavior is public or private.

Some men seem to have it all together on the outside, but in their private thoughts and activities, they are pleasure-oriented.

What are your thoughts on this? How do you see yourself with regard to how much you are driven by pleasure in your life?

As always, I welcome your thoughts below.

Oh, My Papa - Part 2

Previously, I talked about how I was able to forgive my father when I learned he'd had Alzheimer's for a number of years. This accounted for many of the clashes we'd had over time.

What I haven't discussed is that the problems in our relationship were not a one-way street... all his fault, in other words.

I could be pretty insolent. And I don't think I need to go into detail on any of that. Just chalk it up that I needed to be forgiven by HIM on many occasions as well.

What I want to emphasize in this post is that, learning of my father's Alzheimer's made it easy for me to forgive him fully. I suddenly realized how scared he must have been at times, not understanding what was happening to his mind and emotions as this disease slowly advanced.

But that did not take me off the hook in forgiving him regularly WITHOUT that knowlege. And I DID practice forgiveness toward him. But perhaps, not as often or as fully I should have.

I believe the primary thing that needs to happen in fathers turning their hearts toward their children and children turning their hearts toward their fathers (as stated in Malachi 4:6 and mentioned in my previous post), is LOADS of forgiveness and understanding. Living in a family is not easy. It takes ENORMOUS amounts of grace to get along.

A significant passage regarding this is Ephesians 6:1 - 4. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother', for this is the first commandment with promise - so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (NIV)

It's understandable that scripture would admonish children to obey their parents, but it's the second part that frightens me... the idea that fathers would provoke their children to anger. Another translation says, "Fathers, don't make your children bitter about life..." (God's Word Translation).

In these days of widespread substance abuse, I'm hearing horrific stories of men who, with deliberation, strip their children of any sense of self-worth they might have. Ridicule, anger, accusation, belittlement, lies. Many children are growing up with little self-confidence and support.

If this is the environment you grew up in, or an environment you're fostering, there is healing. It may be a process, but there is hope. Jesus told us in Luke 1:37, "...with God, nothing shall be impossible." (KJV)

Feel free to comment below.