Pleasure is something we’re all familiar with. People everywhere have pleasure and displeasure about various things. For the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking at which of those pleasures, if any, are godly, and which ones are ungodly.
God does give use pleasure, therefore there is such a thing as godly pleasure. Abraham and Sarah were given the pleasure of a son after being unable to have children. Nothing is impossible with God. Even when pleasure seems impossible, it isn’t.
While this is talking about reaping laws, this verse is saying that you can enjoy pleasure, but not at someone else’s expense. Cheating someone or stealing is a guilty pleasure.
If God takes pleasure in it, it is a godly pleasure. God is pleased with righteousness and obedience, willingness, joy, gratitude, and generosity.
Godly pleasure is something that is good in the eyes of the King of kings. Guilty pleasures are things that only seem good to us.
Godly pleasure is given to us when we please God by obeying Him.
Disobedience brings distress instead of pleasure, as well as giving guilty pleasure to others.
Man’s guilty pleasure brings shame, anger, and pride. (A haughty spirit comes before a fall.)
Disobedience causes God’s displeasure, which gives us misery after our own guilty pleasure subsides.
Bitterness springs from guilty pleasure and drives is to a point of no pleasure at all, even in our own guilty pleasures.
Even doing what is right is a guilty pleasure (that can lead to bitterness) when it is done with a wrong motive. Doing right because of Christ’s impact on our lives brings God pleasure, and pleasing God gives us godly pleasure (funny how that works).
God is never pleased with wicked (aka ungodly) behavior. Ungodliness is a guilty pleasure.
God has pleasure when we prosper under righteousness. God’s pleasure brings us godly pleasure.
This is a psalm of repentance. When we repent and are made clean by the mercy of God, and we continue in His presence and the joy of salvation, and when we bring Him our broken and contrite hearts, He is pleased.
Godly pleasure comes from taking pleasure in things that please God. I’m detecting a theme.
“Doing His good pleasure” is obedience. This obedience brings God pleasure, which brings godly pleasure.
When we please God continually by obeying Him, He will bring us pleasure, but He still expects us to obey Him. Obedience to God is godly pleasure.
Godly pleasure comes from studying the works and creation of God.
Godly pleasure is fearing God and having hope in His mercy.
Godly pleasure comes from humility and salvation.
Love of pleasure itself makes pleasure guilty. Love for God is what brings pleasure.
We’ll have to stop there for this week. So far, the theme that I’ve noticed is that godly pleasure comes from the actions which show our love, adoration, and obedience to God. Search the Scriptures and let me know what you find! Next week, we’ll finish looking through the Old Testament and peruse the New. Then I’ll summarize the entire study.
Abrigail Julian: 