When Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? came out in its German edition, the German publisher asked me a number of questions behind why I thought the book needed to be published. This is a different format from my usual blog posts, but I thought it might be helpful for those of you who have questions about the role of pleasure in Christian spiritual formation.
- Why did you write a book about pleasure? Why is this an important topic for Christians to discuss?
Much of today’s spirituality is built on a foundation guaranteed to create disillusioned believers: how to avoid doing something sinful that in all sincerity the believer truly wants to do. Ancient and biblical Christian spirituality approached obedience from an entirely different perspective: cooperate with God as He shapes our hearts in such a way that we desire what is truly holy and are repelled by what is truly sinful.
We live in a culture where temptations of all kinds are so pervasive that unless we address a transformed heart, Christians will live frustrated and occasionally even despairing lives. Ultimately, most of us will end up doing what we want to do. Instead of trying to deny this, we need to learn how to shape our heart so that we desire what is pleasing to God. Pure Pleasure builds on the ancient truth of a transformed heart and adds a contemporary twist: a practical look at what it means to build a life of pure pleasure with the result that illicit pleasure begins to lose its hold on our souls.
Some believers assume “pleasure” and “sin” are synonyms. Others define godly “pleasure” so narrowly that it is reduced to direct worship (singing worship songs, studying the Bible, etc.), which drastically reduces the powerful place of pleasure in their lives. Still others would feel guilty even thinking about how to build a life of pleasure. Pure Pleasure provides an entirely new paradigm: how and why contemporary Christians can embrace a life of true pleasure as a pathway to obedience and even worship.
C.S. Lewis understood the place of pleasure as well as anyone. In his classic book The Screwtape Letters, Lewis’ mentor demon confesses hell’s fear of pure pleasure: “Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours.”
In short, I believe Christians have both the joy and obligation of embracing and living a life of pleasure. Doing so honors God, builds our witness, helps with sin management, and prepares us for an eternity of unparalleled pleasure. Though evangelicals have been largely suspicious or silent on pleasure, it is essential that we reestablish the place of pleasure for spiritual formation and Christian witness.
2. In your book you are encouraging people to give themselves permission to enjoy pleasure. That sounds a bit funny as everybody in our society seems to long for pleasure all the time.
It’s natural we should do so. Pleasure is a gift from God. It is good. Think about it: our bodies are uniquely designed by God to receive pleasure in a startling variety of ways. Smell, touch, taste, sight, sound, feeling, beauty, truth, adrenaline—these are all just some of the amazing thresholds through which our brains welcome and receive intense pleasure. Not to mention that God is preparing us for an eternity of pleasure! We must also realize, however, that a hierarchy of pleasure exists—with God at the top—that orders all of our other pleasures. If the hierarchy gets broken or becomes skewed, then lesser pleasures will begin to war against the primary one, delight in Christ. If we don’t embrace biblical pleasure as a holy good, then we’re likely to be enticed by unholy pleasure in a way that is destructive to our souls.
As Christians, we have an awful tendency to “over correct.” We see our error (“Oh, so maybe I can legitimately accept and even cultivate pleasure; I see how I’ve endangered myself and dishonored God with a prohibitionist mindset”), and then rush to the other extreme to get away from that error, only to create a new one (“I want to ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ for the rest of my life!”). Writing a book like this presents exactly that grave danger. Today’s church, frankly, has not earned a reputation for intellectual sophistication. Instead of holding things in a healthy balance, we tend to bounce back and forth between dangerous extremes.
Some who read this book, looking for an escape from responsibility, will cling to theological truths about God and pleasure primarily to justify their unbalanced lives of ongoing entertainment. Ruin and misery await them. Others will likely dismiss all this talk about pleasure as superficial, trite permission to live perpetually in a “Disneyland” faith. They risk suffering a breakdown or getting lured into hypocrisy and addiction. Both attitudes—hedonistic license or pharisaic prohibitionism —grieve God.
3. Can you answer the question the subtitle asks? Why do Christians feel so bad about feeling good?
The past three or four generations of Christians have often viewed the earth as a “prostitute,” a temptress luring us away from God, instead of as a mother nurturing our faith. The Bible presents the earth in both lights: as a place of temptation that we must resist, and a place to receive God’s generous gifts. We have to learn to embrace both truths. There are certainly forbidden pleasures that will lead us away from God, and these must be resisted. But one of the best ways to resist them is to embrace the goodness of God and willingly receive (and be grateful for) the holy pleasures that he gives to us.
4. What gives you pleasure in your everyday life?
My vocation—writing and teaching—happens to be one of my deepest pleasures. For “fun,” I love to run long distance, including marathons, which has the added benefit of getting me out of doors on a regular basis. I’m a huge fan of Starbucks’ chai tea, and love it—absolutely love it—when I’m in the middle of an insightful, well-written, engaging novel that stretches my mind and makes me think. Good movies, good friends, and spending time with my family round out my favorite pleasures.
5. Did you make any personal lifestyle changes after you have thought and written so much about pleasure?
I was reading a contemporary author—I’ve read several of his books—and in one section he slams runners. He said something like, “people with empty souls who have affairs and run marathons…” (I’ve finished 14 marathons.) I couldn’t believe it! Running marathons is compared to adultery because it’s earthy and pleasurable? Being a runner is something I share with God; some of my most pleasurable moments on this earth are sharing a run with Him. The final 200 yards of the 2009 Boston marathon was more worshipful for me than singing an hour’s worth of worship choruses written by somebody else. And one day, when I was running and Keith Green’s “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful” came on my Ipod, I thought I’d pass out from the worship and pleasure that followed; there was something almost mystical but very earthy about running and sweating while worshipping the One who created me.
Experiences like these have helped me see how many other pleasures can serve the same function. Instead of competing with God, they can lead us to God in worship, gratitude, and adoration.
I believe for the sake of the church and my family that it is vital to practice holiness. It matters to people that there be a general harmony between what we profess and how we live. We have to accept that we are vulnerable to sins of all kinds, and if we don’t address this vulnerability in a humble way—in part by treating our souls with appropriate, God-honoring pleasure—that pride will set us up for a fall. A mother with small kids who never gets time to enjoy herself can be like a tinderbox for a temper explosion. She thinks the problem is her temper; that may be the symptom. The real problem might actually be a lack of pleasure!
So I would say I’m a little more open to “non religious” pleasure these days. Ironically, embracing those pleasures has increased my worship considerably; recognizing that God came up with the concept of pleasure, and gave me a body capable of receiving pleasure, leads me to enjoy and honor Him all the more.
Jeff Titterington says
My wife and I are reading “Standing Strong Through the Storm,” from the Open Doors ministry. There’s considerable overlap between its description of persecuted Christians and your blogs about pleasure and peace!
I suspect the slam against running was directed at people who make it their purpose in life – it certainly could eat up a lot of time, dedication, and energy.
Graeme Gilmour says
Possibly the most authentic – certainly the most memorable – experience of true exultant worship I have ever experienced occurred on a hiking trail, climbing an incline called, most ironically but descriptively, “The Steps of Purgatory”!
Brian Majerus says
This is an important message. My background led me to your conclusion of sin=pleasure too often. So I appreciate this message! One thing I’m trying is to have a “practicing the presence of God”/Brother Lawrence approach in being more aware of God in the midst of these other activities or enjoyments. Thanks for the good work Gary!
Doug Hayes says
I have been thinking lately about how many good things God gives us to enjoy. Yesterday, my wife and I were visiting Sedona, AZ, and as we were hiking among the incredible beauty, I thought how God created this in part because he loves us and wants us to enjoy it. As we were there it was as though God was saying to me, “I created this to share my love with you, and today I want you to experience that.” What a wonderful God we serve! I especially appreciated your point that God created us with senses designed to enjoy his creation and that we are destined for a heaven of eternal pleasure. God is the source of all our joy. He is my highest love, and as long as my loves are not disordered, we can richly enjoy his many good gifts.
Dennis Siebert says
I work at allowing the Spirit to be blessed in my when I am enjoying this life God gave us to enjoy. But I cannot begin to imagine your sense of worship while running. I’m glad you can but it will never happen for me, particularly with the arthritis in my knees. Never the less I keep growing at being blessed to enjoy the pleasures in pursuing all Jesus has for us.
John says
This is even more true of the marriage bed. Heaven forbid a married Christian couple enjoy themselves. Even more, heaven forbid the church talk about it, much less celebrate it. Been going the church for 40 years, multiple churches, not once have I heard on a sunday morning “Today we start our year long series on the Song of Songs”. Or even in a Sunday school class. Or even a marriage class. You’d think over 40 years of valentines day weeks you’d hear it once? even just referred to in passing? Nope.
The Devil rejoices when sex happens outside of marriage. He rejoices even more when it doesn’t happen inside of it.
Gayla Grace says
Well said. My husband and I are long-distance runners also and have often been criticized for the amount of time we spend running. But it’s great for our marriage as we connect through uninterrupted time together. I’ve also experienced worshipful times when I’ve poured out my heart to God during hard seasons as I pound out the pavement and feel His comfort and guidance. Thank you for addressing this subject.