Choosing Between Fun and God

I have a theory on fun:  Fun is one of the main hangups people have that prevent them from wanting a relationship with God.

God will judge my fun.

I won't be allowed to have fun.

Christians need to have more fun.

Maybe they would be less judgmental if they had more fun.  

My friends are fun.  

I don't want to stop

 hanging out with them.

I'll repent on Sunday.

When we have to justify our fun, hide our fun, or repent for our fun, the chances are good that our fun is actually sin.

If sin wasn't fun, people wouldn't sin.
True story.

Another true story - sin loves to lie.   It tells us to have fun without worrying about other people but then causes us to believe that other people are judging anyway.  It's telling us that we need to stand up for our sin, justify it, and then accept it in others out of fear that we'll look like hypocrites.  It's easier to go with the flow than risk offending someone by standing up for the good, pure, and lovely things in this world.

Sin tells us that God is boring, his people are weak-minded and judgmental, and that God's love is fluffy and weak.  Sin tells us that we must make our own fun and joy through our efforts, addictions, and accumulations.

Here's the real truth about FUN:  God made it.  

Yeah, wrap your noodle around that fun factiod!   

He created fun!

God is the author of laughter.  God is the author of relationships.  God is the author of peace. God is the author of joy that is real, abiding, and not based on circumstances.  He is the master of blowing our minds with awesomeness.

God created the very mountains we climb,

the beaches we comb and oceans we play in.

He created the scrumptious array of foods we savor, 

the stars in the heavens,

the wonders of science,

the concept of relationships,

and our capacities to think, feel, and create.

He created the very souls that we try to satisfy.

 In the joy God gives, there are no regrets.  In this joy, you have tremendous grace with others, their flaws and their mistakes because you are aware of your own and deeply appreciate the unconditional love God has for you.  In this joy, there is cause to start a new day, knowing that you were created with a purpose.  In this joy, you find freedom to be who you were made to be.  You don't have to worry about being a people-pleaser.  This joy and liberation IS fun!

A lot of people consume a lot of alcohol or engage in various addictions to feel the sensation of freedom.  Then they wake up sober or broke the next day only to discover the freedom they chased was just a shadow.  The bitterness, emptiness, purposelessness, and hopelessness still remains.

I'm not saying that a joy-filled life is all about rainbows and fairy dust.  It's not.  On this side of eternity, we will feel pain, discouragement, loss, sickness, and watch as loved ones die.  Our world is undoubtedly broken and cries out for restoration.

But joy comes from knowing the end of your story, by watching the very hand of God at work in your life, by playing your part and impacting the world around you, by knowing that there is more to this life than meets the eye, by confronting the evil in this world, and by sharing joy.

Real fun and lasting joy won't ever cause us to justify, hide, defend, or feel shame.
Choose God is choosing and adventurous fun.
And there are no regrets.

Some resources to consider:
*Book - Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough by Kay Warren
*Free Daily Devotionals - 30 days of Choose Joy Devotionals by Kay Warren

Question:  How do you define fun?  Does it bring lasting joy?