photo by seanmcmenemy
When you enjoy your life you bring joy to the One who gave it to you.
And that, my friend, is why the enemy of your soul hates what makes you truly happy. Because he is out to destroy anything and everything that brings God joy.
So the enemy tells you that you aren’t allowed to rest–that you must work harder and harder for God.
He whispers that you are not permitted to receive gifts God created for your pleasure.
He distracts your soul with what can never fill it and then convinces you God is holding out on you.
Enjoy your life, friend. Hug your family. Watch a movie. Eat a marvelous meal. Sleep in on Saturdays. Watch the birds. Slow down.
When you do this it’s not selfish. Instead it’s a way of bringing joy to the One who has brought all of this to you. Don’t let the enemy steal from God what is rightfully His–and that is you enjoying your life, embracing what He’s given, savoring each moment so that you “taste and see that the Lord is good” {Psalm 34:8}.
Will we have times of trouble? Yes. But even in then isn’t enjoying what we can, in the way God intended, part of what sustains us? We’ve all known moments in times of deep hardship when laughter seems to heal our soul more than anything else.
When we try to live this way, the enemy accuses us. “Look how selfish you are, how irresponsible, how indulgent.” Can you imagine saying the same to a child on Christmas morning as she gleefully and gratefully receives the gifts she’s been given? Of course you wouldn’t. That is not the voice of love. Those are lies intended to break the heart of a Father.
Do you want to bring glory and delight to God today?
Then dare to enjoy your life…fully, freely, forever.
“The Lord be exalted who delight in the well-being of His servant” {Psalm 35:27}.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
p.s. A book that has really helped me with this concept is Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad about Feeling Good? by Gary Thomas.
