Photo From http://darkwaterhermit.net/?tag=hedonism Hos 4:9 That's why I will punish the people for their deeds, just as I will punish you priests.
Hos 4:10 Their food won't satisfy, and having sex at pagan shrines won't produce children. My people have rebelled
Hos 4:11 and have been unfaithful to me, their LORD. My people, you are foolish because of too much pleasure and too much wine.
Through out the history of Israel we see a pattern repeated over and over again. Israel honored God and He blessed them, then they began to seek after pleasure through 'other gods', and soon fell into the curse of the law and lost their blessing.
The old adage, "Idle hands are the Devil's playground", is so appropriate here. But as is my habit, I asked the question why? Why after having received so many blessings from our Lord do we seek to dishonor Him by using those blessings to chase after 'other gods', especially the ones that excite our emotions. And, this pattern is true in other relationships as well as the relationship with God.
The answer seemed very complex at first; boredom, the search for happiness, the desire of the ego to be it's own god, selfishness, complexes of all sorts, but all theses 'excuses' just didn't really answer the question of why?
C.S. Lewis wrote something to the effect that if a man has a desire that nothing on earth will completely satisfy then it must be because we are made for another world. That is where I found my answer. You see Hedonism in any form; abnormal sexual appetite, alcoholism, obsessive or perverse behaviors of any kind is an attempt by us to find what C. S. Lewis called "that joy".
I believe, that the desire to find joy is a God given gift, and even that, we have scaled down to "finding happiness".
Which would you rather be, happy or filled with joy? A warm fuzzy feeling or or an energizing excitement.
The problem with the search for happiness is that it always requires more. For example, a beer might make you feel good for an hour or two, but it requires another one to keep that warm glow going, some of us want more of that 'glow' so we overindulge and become drunk. Some people will become obsessed with that feeling and begin to drink obsessively and end up not only never again finding that glow, but bringing unhappiness on themselves and all others within their sphere of influence.
That is the real problem with searching for happiness outside of the only true source of true happiness or Joy, the end result is unhappiness.
I have been reading through the Prophets in my morning meditations and it has become very clear to me, God wants us to be happy, to be blessed. We in our arrogance think we can do this on our own, without God. But that search on our own inevitably ends in unhappiness or at the very least short of the goal.
There is only one way to end this cycle:
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Therefore:
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
If you are stuck on that merry-go-round of trying to be happy through people, places and things and you realize it is leading you deeper into frustration and unhappiness, then it is time to repent of doing it your way and come to Jesus. Confess your sins to Him and fall upon His mercy. He Loves you and wants the absolute best for your life, He wants to fill you with unspeakable Joy. Get into the Bible. Find a good Bible teaching church, meet with the Pastor or an elder and ask what it takes to become a disciple of Jesus and you will begin a journey into true happiness filled with many moments of unspeakable Joy.
May God bless you and keep you.
Please check out my books at Books by Leslie R Auger
If you order from this website there is a discount. Order here
Hos 4:10 Their food won't satisfy, and having sex at pagan shrines won't produce children. My people have rebelled
Hos 4:11 and have been unfaithful to me, their LORD. My people, you are foolish because of too much pleasure and too much wine.
Through out the history of Israel we see a pattern repeated over and over again. Israel honored God and He blessed them, then they began to seek after pleasure through 'other gods', and soon fell into the curse of the law and lost their blessing.
The old adage, "Idle hands are the Devil's playground", is so appropriate here. But as is my habit, I asked the question why? Why after having received so many blessings from our Lord do we seek to dishonor Him by using those blessings to chase after 'other gods', especially the ones that excite our emotions. And, this pattern is true in other relationships as well as the relationship with God.
The answer seemed very complex at first; boredom, the search for happiness, the desire of the ego to be it's own god, selfishness, complexes of all sorts, but all theses 'excuses' just didn't really answer the question of why?
C.S. Lewis wrote something to the effect that if a man has a desire that nothing on earth will completely satisfy then it must be because we are made for another world. That is where I found my answer. You see Hedonism in any form; abnormal sexual appetite, alcoholism, obsessive or perverse behaviors of any kind is an attempt by us to find what C. S. Lewis called "that joy".
I believe, that the desire to find joy is a God given gift, and even that, we have scaled down to "finding happiness".
Which would you rather be, happy or filled with joy? A warm fuzzy feeling or or an energizing excitement.
The problem with the search for happiness is that it always requires more. For example, a beer might make you feel good for an hour or two, but it requires another one to keep that warm glow going, some of us want more of that 'glow' so we overindulge and become drunk. Some people will become obsessed with that feeling and begin to drink obsessively and end up not only never again finding that glow, but bringing unhappiness on themselves and all others within their sphere of influence.
That is the real problem with searching for happiness outside of the only true source of true happiness or Joy, the end result is unhappiness.
I have been reading through the Prophets in my morning meditations and it has become very clear to me, God wants us to be happy, to be blessed. We in our arrogance think we can do this on our own, without God. But that search on our own inevitably ends in unhappiness or at the very least short of the goal.
There is only one way to end this cycle:
Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Therefore:
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
If you are stuck on that merry-go-round of trying to be happy through people, places and things and you realize it is leading you deeper into frustration and unhappiness, then it is time to repent of doing it your way and come to Jesus. Confess your sins to Him and fall upon His mercy. He Loves you and wants the absolute best for your life, He wants to fill you with unspeakable Joy. Get into the Bible. Find a good Bible teaching church, meet with the Pastor or an elder and ask what it takes to become a disciple of Jesus and you will begin a journey into true happiness filled with many moments of unspeakable Joy.
May God bless you and keep you.
Please check out my books at Books by Leslie R Auger
If you order from this website there is a discount. Order here
RSS Feed
