When indulging in various goods, I often hear people say phrases like "I worked hard for this". A challenging one for me to hear was "We finally get to take a vacation because we earned it after 4 years of school." What does school have to do with a vacation? What about getting away with your spouse because you love each other and you want to have some fun together? Admittedly, I have used similar phrases in the past; not when replacing a car battery or paying rent, but every time I did something I enjoyed. Whether buying body spray or renting a movie; I always felt the need to validate the expense.
Recently, a man sat down next to me with a lemonade he'd just purchased; he randomly volunteered information that it cost $5 then said, "I don't treat myself often, so this is okay." My first thought was, "Why did this man feel the need to justify why he bought this beverage to me?" Of all the things he could have said; why does he care that I know how often he treats himself? He doesn't know me and I may never see him again, so why does he want to assure me he's doing nothing wrong? There's only one answer for me and Mr. Lemonade; guilt.
Buying lemonade isn't wrong in itself, but for this man it was. Just like for me it was sin to rent a movie because I had a guilty conscience when I did it. Romans 14:23 "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from
faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." This passage is in the context of food, but it applies to faith in general. Meaning...anything you do that weighs on your conscience because you don't believe it's okay then it's sin to do it.
But here's where the body of Christ needs revelation; our decisions should hinge upon what GOD says is okay, not society. 1 Timothy 6 tells us to put our hope in God who richly gives us everything to enjoy, but we don't want to believe that. We white knuckle what we've been raised to believe, that if you plan to enjoy anything at all; you have to earn it. There must be some kind of painful sacrifice that denotes you are worthy of enjoying something you like. It's too hard for our intellect to grasp that God wants us to enjoy things simply because He loves us.
Don't Get Caught in the Endless Cycle
When you feel guilty, it's because you're under law (not trusting God). When you're under law, it causes you to sin. When you sin under law you'll experience the curses of the law and when you experience the curses, it will make you feel guilt and shame; it's an endless cycle.
Look, if you like lemonade or renting movies, it's because God made you that way. Do you think He made you that way to hate those things? Does it make any sense that God made you to like something for the purpose of not liking it? Is it even remotely logical to say God put a piece of His DNA in you to enjoy something that He won't allow you to enjoy unless you suffer first? I'm almost confused even trying to figure out what I just said there. I mean, did we suffer for our eye color? Unless you're in idolatry; buy the lemonade, rent the movie, wear the dress, eat the steak, blow the bubbles, play with the toy and trust your Father to enjoy it!
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