6. It’s about how pleasure can be a good thing when aligned with God.

This episode focuses on the work rest and pleasure balance. Pleasure is an important part of the quality of our lives and can play a critical role in the fulfillment of our callings.

Transcript

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Welcome back, everybody. I'm so glad to be back with you guys. I'm really glad to jump into this next episode. Um, we're here trying to keep everything together. We're trying to understand some of the spiritual components that go into goal setting and managing our lives and ourselves as we are going about what God has called us to do. What we're gonna focus on today really goes along with the theme of time management, and it's really a big breakdown of the types of things that we spend our time on. It starts there. So, if we're gonna have endurance for our races, we should really understand this concept because burnout is a real thing, and it's really easy to allow certain things to become idols in our lives. So if we don't get this concept, it truly is harder for us overall. So here's the main principle: the time that we spend here on earth can be broken down into three different categories. And when I say this, I mean like intentional time, time that you have planned out to do something. So there's work, right? We have to plan out time to do work. There's rest, we also need to plan that time out, and then there's pleasure. And it's funny because the pleasure part of things, I never really thought about or considered until recently. And I want to talk about some things that I've learned on this journey with you guys. So a lot of times when we're on a journey to do a certain thing that we feel like God is calling us to, we really hone in on the work and rest balance, but we forget about the pleasure part of things. And that is another component that if you're not factoring it in, it's going to decrease of you actually not just meeting the goal, but doing the work that you've been called to do overall. So let's think about that for a second. And I want to start off by talking about an example from a few weeks ago. So I had a situation where I'm just on my normal, you know, pattern of doing things, and I had a really hard day in the sense of like it was just long. I had a lot of meetings back to back, um, just had a lot of chores to do, all of the things. And even with that, there was still more work for me to do um at the end of the day. And I was tired just mentally and physically, and just needed, I felt like I just needed a break. And that's when I decided, you know, because I'm thinking about what I'm gonna cook for dinner and all that, along with all the stuff I had to get done later. And I just made this, I just made the decision. I'm like, I'm gonna go to Panda Express and get something to eat because this is gonna help me with my tiredness. So I'm thinking about that and planning to eat there. Um, kind of excited about that. So I'm like, okay, sure, that's how we're gonna spend this Tuesday afternoon. And when I started thinking more about that decision, I felt this little pull on the inside, like, don't do that. You should save your money, um, you should just cook something at home, like that whole dialogue. This is gonna throw off your physical goals, and just I was like, oh man, kind of warring with myself about that decision. And it doesn't have much consequence in my mind, but I'm still thinking about it that way. And eventually I was like, it's fine. You know what? I want to do it, and it's just the one time, and it's okay. So I made the decision to go ahead and do that. If we're gonna go to Pan Express for dinner, I'll take the kids, it'll just be fine, and it's gonna be a load off my mind. So I'm like, okay, cool. But I kept deliberating with it, like back and forth, as to whether or not it was okay to do or it wasn't. And then the word that really stuck with me that I was throughout my thinking process was the word tired. Because I kept telling myself that I'm gonna eat out because I'm tired, right? I just I'm gonna go grab a bite because that's gonna help me with my tiredness. And then I realized, no, I'm not. Like that doesn't have this decision, has nothing to do with me being tired. Because if it was really about me being tired, then I would have done something that was the most minimal thing to do. I would have made a completely different decision. I would have taken my kids straight home, made a quick sandwich for everybody, and then put everybody in the bed and put me in the bed. That is exactly how I would have spent that time. So my decision or wanting to go ahead and go to Panda Express for the night was more about the fact that I like Panda Express. And it would have been pleasurable for me to go out to eat and and do that. Because if I really break down what that process would have looked like, I would have had to take the kids with our stuff and then go into the restaurant, and then we come out, and then make sure it would have been a whole other process, which would have added to my day rather than taking away something from me. Yes, there is the not having to cook part of things, but when you have young children, any type of outing is an ordeal. And I knew that, but I was still making that decision. So I knew inside of myself that this had very little to do with me actually being tired, and way more with the fact that I wanted to do something that was gonna make me happy. I I know that a lot of people's favorite spot is not Panda Express, but for some reason I just like it there and I was really in the mood to have it. And that made me raise this question. If I'm going there because I know that this place or this decision is going to give me a sense of like pleasure, is it wrong for me, especially in this season, to seek after things that give me pleasure? Is pleasure a bad thing in itself? And I'm kind of stuck there for a while and I'm still deliberating on my decision because I don't understand how to manage this thought process. So I decided to go to the Word and kind of see what God says about that type of issue. And the first thing that pops up when I start searching through is Ecclesiastes, specifically Ecclesiastes 2. So I'm gonna go ahead and read that out to you guys and we're gonna talk more about this. Ecclesiastes 2, verses 1 through 11. It is a little bit of scripture to get through, so I'm gonna read through it and then we'll start deliberating about how we move forward with this. I said to myself, come on, let's try pleasure. Let's look for the good things in life. But I found that this too was meaningless. So I said, Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure? After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine, and while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness that most people find during their brief life in this world. I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected a great sum of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire. So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and wisdom and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. Anything outside of eternity, which is basically what this world is, because it goes away, is meaningless, which makes perfect sense. So if you stop the logic train there, you just assume that, well, nothing really matters. So I should probably just only do things that please me or give up entirely. And that's not where God really wants us to stop, right? We don't want to stop at, well, nothing matters, so I'm gonna go ahead and just do whatever I want or not do anything at all. Things are meaningless when they are in and of themselves on the earth. Makes sense. But when you include your Heavenly Father, who is eternal, with the things that you're doing, whether it be work, rest, or pleasure, they therefore can hold some type of meaning. That's when you're able to do those things in all three of those categories that add something beyond that's just what's here right now. Now the things that you're doing become something that is attributed to permanency. So that's why God calls us to work willingly as if for the Lord rather than other people. The Lur, the Lord is eternal. Now, if we apply that logic to all of our things, then it changes how we do all of those things. So now it's not just that pleasure of eating food is is that tastes good to you is bad, or that enjoying time with your family and just kind of laughing is bad. Because that's not the case. And if it was, then God would not have given us those things to enjoy. All of that is a gift. Our taste buds are gifts. Uh, laughter is a gift. Um having experience and just like a hug that feels good. It's all of that is pleasurable, and God has given us those things. And if He didn't want us to experience pleasure, then He wouldn't have allowed us to experience that. So pleasure is part of the game too, and we should be experiencing that. It's one of those things that helps us to go on. But here's where it becomes meaningless. When it's all we choose to pursue and when it's separated from what God is doing in our lives or asking us to do. So when I go back into the Word and I compare that situation with what the Word is saying and what I know to be true about how God wants us to work and how He wants us to spend all of our time, God wants to be included in all three of those categories. I have to invite God into that space. So, God, is it cool right now if I go ahead and have this meal? Is that right? That's what we should be doing. So I'm in my car, right? And I'm thinking about that, and I'm like, I've already kind of made the decision. And I even tell the kids as I get in the car and they're ready for school, I'm sorry, getting home from school, and I say, guys, I'm I'm exhausted. We're going to Pan Express for dinner. And then my youngest is like, sounds awesome, right? She's out and she's even making requests for different restaurants for us to go to, and I'm like, I'm here for it. And then my oldest um was said, okay, that's fine. Or maybe we can eat at home too. Um, she doesn't care either way. And literally, as I had made the decision to do it, God spoke up and said, Girl, don't do that. And I was bummed. And I was like, oh, alright. So I said to my kids, girls, I know I told you that we were gonna go out to eat, but the Holy Spirit kind of spoke up just a minute ago and told me not to do that. So we're gonna go eat at home. And my oldest daughter said, Then you better listen. And I was like, Okay, I'm definitely gonna listen then. So I was really glad that I did choose to listen to that instruction because what ended up happening was we went home, we didn't have like some crazy gourmet meal that night. We had something super easy. I think I just put put some hot dogs in the air fryer, and we did like some sweet potato fries in the air fryer, and I think some like grapes or something, like something very, very minimal, kind of like hodgepodge of a dinner. And everything tasted pretty good. We were all fine, everybody was happy. I got to have a minute with my kids, and what I found was because I didn't choose to go eat a bunch of like Chinese noodles, I didn't have the sluggish, I'm ready to go to bed type of energy after I was done eating. I still had enough energy to put the kids in the bed to finish the task that I needed to complete that day because I was not done with the day. Because after I put them in the bed, then I was gonna go ahead and continue doing some other things that were like contributing to the goals that God had put in front of me to start working on. And I'm like, well, thank God. Literally, thank God that I listened. That's what it means to ask God to invite God into that space of how am I supposed to be spending time in this category, in the pleasure category. We have to make sure that we are spending all of those times in those different categories in accordance with his will. When we're doing that, we set ourselves up for success. Later in Ecclesiastes, it does go on to talk about the different seasons, the different times that we have in this life and in this world. So Ecclesiastes 3, 1 through 13 runs like this for everything, there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up, a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to grieve and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace and a time to turn away, a time to search and a time to quit searching, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be quiet and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all, yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart. But even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. So I concluded that there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy yourself as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. It was a good thing that I listened to the Holy Spirit in that moment because God showed me that it was not yet time for me to have the type of pleasure that I wanted to have. Right now, I still had too much work to do for that type of pleasure. It was not going to contribute to me being effective. Some things that are pleasurable, we do have to wait on. And some things we can actually do. So we have to check in with our Heavenly Father and see what time it is. Because remember, he has a higher viewpoint than we do. You know, working too much can cause burnout. So we have to check in with God and ask what we need to be doing at these points in time. You have to check in and say, God, I have all of these projects and I'm nervous about stopping, and I know that I have so much to do, I want to keep going, and then God will let you know. Nope, I'm gonna need you to go ahead and keep going. You can do that, you are totally okay to keep going. Or now it's time for you to stop. Now it's time for you to either enjoy yourself or to go ahead and take a break and rest. Or if you're resting and you just feel tired, you're like, God, I just feel so tired. I feel sluggish. I feel like I can't do much. You know, what do I do here? Allow God to speak up and say, No, I need you to keep resting. You're you're sleepy like this for a reason. I need you to go ahead and rest well, rest for a while. Or he'll say, It's time for you to get up. You'll feel better when you get up and you still have a lot of things to do, or some things to do. When we're checking in with the Holy Spirit about how we should be spending our time, we can spend it more accurately. Because if we remember, we have very limited view on the world because we live in time and God is eternal. And if you're trying to assign eternal meaning to the things that you're doing within time, you gotta check in with the guy who is outside of time. He's gonna be the one to tell you, friend, I know that you really want to do this thing right now, or you want to finish your project, or that you want to go to Chick-fil-A, or whatever the thing is for the day, but I need you to move in this way instead. I need you to switch up in this way. Or yes, you can go ahead and enjoy yourself. Go ahead and rest, okay, or go ahead and keep working. I understand that that's how you feel, and this is what you can do. And what that does is it takes the pressure off of me because I thought I had to always be on my game at all times and cut pleasure completely out entirely, and that's not the case, and that's not wise. You're taking out one of the components of your life, and you won't find much joy in your life if you do it that way. And it's that's just the reality. But by making sure that you're experiencing all the things that you should be experiencing in accordance with what God has in mind, is what is most intelligent and will yield the most amount of fruit. So when I went home, I ended up making this meal in the house, and it was a very simple, easy peasy dinner, um, like an air fryer type of deal. And it was, although it wasn't the healthiest thing on the world on the planet, it was definitely healthier than me going ahead and going to Panda Express. And when I ate it, I was full, my kids were happy and satisfied, and I had the energy for the other tasks that I had to do when I got home. Because I wasn't full of, you know, greasy food. And then I was like, thank God. I didn't realize what was going on, and it was important for me to get those things done that day. And it was important for me not to feel so full and sluggish that I couldn't get it done. And I made plans with my kids later for the weekend for us to go out and eat and do something fun. And it made everything make so much more sense, it made uh everything so much more attainable, and that gratification that I was seeking, that pleasure that I was seeking, it wasn't off the table. It was just a little bit further into the future. So there was something for me to look forward to with that day. I think that sometimes we do have to hold off on things that give us pleasure, but it's not the same thing of as us not having it at all. It's just delayed. And because I get to think about it and be hopeful and be happy about this meal to come or this thing I get to do later, I can enjoy it all the more. So, just some takeaways from this as you are trying to put this into practice for your own self and planning out your days, it is very important to check in with God to assess how you should be spending your time and account for all those categories. How much work should I should I be doing? You know what does that look like? Does that mean that I just lock in for my nine to five? Is there more work that I need to take home? Um, do I need to create a workout schedule where I'm working out five days a week? Or is it okay for me just to do three? Ask him, what does the work need to look like? There's a time for this and a time for that. Ask the Heavenly Father, who knows how much time you should be spending on which category how you should be doing that. And then how much rest is needed in order for you to get this work done? How much sleep do you need? What do you maybe need to change up or switch up so that you can get enough rest? Or are you trying to rest too much where it's not productive? And when and where and in what ways can I experience pleasure that gives us those fun moments that makes us feel good so we continue, so we can continue with this as well. The word says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding, but seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. So I really hope that this is helpful as you are trying to get things in order and get things organized. Um, just a reminder, follow me on social media as I'm starting to post more. I want to make sure that I'm able to interact with you guys and let you guys know when new episodes are coming up, and just you know, get you uh able to see my face from time to time. So um so glad that you guys stopped by for this episode, and I can't wait to see you in the next one. Bye.