A Guilty Pleasure

We all have guilty pleasures, right? Maybe yours is eating a whole carton of chocolate ice-cream, or going on frivolous shopping sprees whenever you get a chance. Whatever it may be, I’m sure we can all think of something that we tend to indulge in a bit excessively.

As mentioned in my previous blog, I am reading through Paul Tripp’s Sex and Money, in which he dives into the temporary pleasures that money and sex bring for mankind. Why are we so quick to invest in the temporary happiness that these pleasures bring to us?

The answer is simple.

When we indulge in something materialistic that brings us pleasure, we experience a temporary rush of happiness that we acknowladge. Whether it be through sex or money, each of these brings to us some sort of fulfillment.

…but it’s all temporary.

In Proverbs 21:17 Solomon says, “Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” So what does this mean for us? That we should never engage in things that bring us pleasure? In light of what Tripp has to say about pleasure, this is not the case.

One of the first points that Tripp highlights about pleasure is that, “God’s creative intention was to bring glory to Himself by the pleasures that He created” (58). Each thing that God has created for us to enoy He has designed it ultimately to bring glory to Himself. As mentioned before, sex and money are both pleasures in which mankind has free will to indulge in. In reference to each of these, Tripp comments that, “These pleasures exist as a sign of the existence of one in whose arms I will enjoy the only pleasure that can satisfy and give rest to my heart” (59). This tells us that these pleasures are meant to be enjoyed by man, because afterall, God would not have given us these things if He didn’t want us to enjoy them.

But how much is too much?

Pleasures that run rampid without boundaries can be toxic. What happens if one spends all the money he has ever owned, only to find out the next day he has gone completely bankrupt. In light of this, God calls us to be good stewards of what we have been given. One way in which we can do this is by setting bondaries for ourselves. We see the first boundaries for pleasures introduced in the story of Adam and Eve. Tripp highlights the fact that God put these boundaries in place they were not to have a “self-centered, anytime-anyway relationship to pleasure” (60). God set boundaries for Adam and Eve because He knew what was best for them. He did not want Adam and Eve to be controlled by the desires of their hearts, but sadly that’s where the sinful nature came into play.

So what does it look like for us if we are to set boundaries when it comes to earthly pleasures? In her article entitled The Simple Dollar, Holly Johnson shares her story of how she became controlled by her money, until it was all gone. She also highlights how the Lord redeemed her from the toxic spending habits she had engaged in, and learned how to manage her money in a way that honored the Lord. Her story is just one of many that reminds us how easy it is to fall into the control of the earthly pleasures this world has to offer.

So what now?

I’ve shared a good bit about how the pleasures of this world can be a dangerous thing. I’ve also highlighted how God has designed us to enjoy these pleasures in light of the fact that He has designed them to bring glory to Him, within the boundaries. So what does this look like for us? Maybe you have a guilty pleasure that you have let consume you to the point where you feel as if there’s no possible way you can get of the downhill spiral you’re in. Don’t believe that lie. The Lord desires for you to run to Him for guidance when you are struggling with something such as this. Set realistic boundaries for yourself in the way you indulge in things that bring you pleasure. God has created good things for us to enjoy, and ultimately they are designed to remind us of Himself.

If you’d like to read more about pleasures and the way God has intended them to be, check out the resources below!

Works Cited

Tripp, Paul D. Sex and Money: Pleasures That Leave You Empty and Grace That Satisfies. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013. 14–15.

Johnson, Holly. “The Simple Dollar: A Journey from Bankruptcy.” Apr. 2016.

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