This an excerpt from my devotional this morning, The Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer that I thought was really good and reminded me that I not only need to examine where I seek my own pleasure from but I need to be faithful to pray for those in my life who do get their pleasure from 'false and degrading thrills':
"One of the very greatest calamities which sin has brought upon us is the debasement of our normal emotions. We laugh at things which are not funny; we find pleasure in acts which are beneath our human dignity; and we rejoice in objects which should have no place in our affections. The objection to 'sinful pleasures,' which has always been characteristic of the true saint, is at bottom simply a protest against the degradation of our human emotions. That gambling, for instance, should be allowed to engross the interests of men made in the image of God has seemed like a horrid perversion of noble powers; that alcohol should be necessary to stimulate the feeling of pleasure has seemed like a kind of prostitution; that men should turn to the man-made theater for enjoyment has seemed an affront to the God who placed us in the midst of a universe charged with high dramatic action. The world's artificial pleasures are all but evidence that the human race has to a large extent lost its power to enjoy the true pleasures of life and is forced to substitute for them false and degrading thrills."
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Carrie, So true and I must focus on these things! But now that I know this - how do I relate to my loved ones who ARE giving over their true enjoyment to the debasement of emotion, and false and degrading pleasures? It is prayer - that they will meet their One True heavenly Father and be satisfied only in Him. How should I walk in the meantime? Well I could start by not ruining my testemony... God is speaking to me about the things I need to do in order to live at peace with everyone. Love ya and our walks with Titus!
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