Humanity loves to feel good. We tend to seek pleasing ourselves above all else. We make decisions in order to make us happy. We do things aimed at pleasing ourselves. We buy the latest gadgets in our effort to maintain our pleasure. We gather other people around that help us to stay happy.
Basically, whatever feels good, we do. If it makes us uncomfortable, we don’t do it. Unfortunately, that’s why so few people live for God the way God wants us to live. It’s much easier to love pleasure, rather than God. Why is that?
I’m glad you asked. Here are the top 5 reasons we love pleasure more than God:
1) Control. We want to be in control of our own lives, pleasure included. When we serve God, He requires that we give control of our lives to Him. It’s His way, period. We get no say.
2) It’s easy. Pleasure isn’t hard to find, or fulfill. Our world, in fact, caters to giving us pleasure in every way we want. When we love God, however, it takes a more than a bit of effort, and even some sacrifice, to serve Him faithfully.
3) Immediate gratification. Pleasure rewards us now, in the moment. There’s no waiting for it. In stark contrast, we don’t always see the benefits of serving God immediately. More often than not, loving God requires us to wait days, months, years…or even not until eternity, to reap the benefits of living for Him.
4) It acts like a drug. Pleasure dulls our struggles and takes our mind off ourselves. Much like drugs or alcohol, pleasure makes life easier. But living for God does the opposite. Instead of forgetting, God asks us to remember who we are, loving Him reminds us of our needs and responsibilities which, in turn, requires us to change.
5) Pleasure puffs us up. We want to look good in the eyes of other people. We want to appear put together, and pleasure works hand-in-hand with pride to inflate our egos. God asks us to put aside our pride, and to rely on Him, not our accomplishments. Loving God isn’t about us, it’s about Him.
So now that you know the reasons, can I ask, what about you? Have you chosen to love pleasure, or to love God?
2 Timothy 3:4 – “…treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God…”