Pleasure Rather Than God

In 2 Timothy 3 Paul gives a detailed description of what people will look like in the "last days".  As I was reading the many characteristics that people will present I was especially interested in verse 4 where it reads: ...........and love pleasure rather than God.  You will have to turn to your own bible to read the whole list because for today I am only going to discuss this one thought.

I began studying and thinking on pleasure and what it means in a person's life.  I found that pleasure is usually something that we can control and it is usually immediately gratifying.  When given a choice of two things we are most likely going to choose that which gives us the most satisfaction and happiness in that moment.  We will gauge our feelings and decide what we are in the mood for and make the choice that best fits our desires.  Pleasure is usually easily obtained and it is our fleshly instinct to choose pleasure first which, in many cases, can mean choosing it over God.  Unlike pleasure, choosing God may not bring us immediate benefit.  Many times choosing God's way will not bring benefits until future times, or it's even possible that we could never see the benefits this side of heaven.  Choosing God over pleasure will sometimes bring convictions and discomfort, the total opposite of pleasure.  When we think of pleasure we think of easy, fun, and carefree, unfortunately the things God asks of us are not always that.  God can put us in situations where we feel we are far from pleasureful, but choosing His way will always benefit us more in the end.

Making decisions is the hardest thing for me.  As a Christian I just want to be living in God's will.  I want to do the right thing and I don't want to mess up.  My desire is to please God in all I do, but I'll be the first to tell you, I get it wrong often.  I choose pleasure over God probably on a daily basis sometimes.  I'm not proud of my choices and my weak moments when I take back my trust and make a choice based on fear and selfishness.  I'm still seeking God's wisdom on this topic.  I want Him to use this opportunity to teach me something that will help me grow closer to Him and closer to to Christ likeness.

In my studies I was taken to Romans chapter 7 and was reminded of every human's fight with the flesh.  I saw myself in Paul as he described the times when he wanted to do what was right but he ended up doing the opposite.  I could relate to this fleshly instict he described and I felt as if I wasn't alone.  I especially loved the message translation that reads:

   "But I need something more!  For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help!  I realize that I don't have what it takes.  I can will it, but I can't do it.  I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway.  My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions.  Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

   It happens so regularly that it's predictable.  The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up.  I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight.  Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.  

   I've tried everything and nothing helps.  I'm at the end of my rope.  Is there no one who can do anything for me?  Isn't that the real question?

   The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.  He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different."                                             

(Romans 7:7:17-25 MSG)

I see that every day is a choice to lay down our desires and fleshly instinct, to choose God over pleasure.  I realize that loving God takes effort and requires that we have self-control, and that we offer self-sacrifice.  We may make the wrong choices.  We may want to do right but in doing so choose wrong.  We will never be perfect and We will never choose correctly all of the time.  Our fight with the flesh is daily but praise God, He knows this!  Praise God for giving us Jesus Christ to teach us through His example and to save us from our recklessness.  His selfless sacrifice allows us room to breath.  He gives us all of His patience while we try to navigate this Follower lifestyle.

Dear God,
Help me to be obedient to your call.  I don't want to choose pleasure but I want to choose You.  Help me in my weak moments when pleasure looks so enticing.  Blind me from the immediate gratifications that comes with pleasure and open my eyes to Your good and perfect perspective.  Forgive me when I take my mind off of You.  Lead me back to Your safe but difficult leadership.  Lord I want to follow You all the days of my life.  I want to live close to You and serve You with all my heart, soul and mind.  I humble myself in Your arms and I once again give my life to you this day.  Amen