Go Ahead and Enjoy Your Life - The Crosswalk Devotional - September 25

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Go Ahead and Enjoy Your Life
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.” - Ecclesiastes 9:7, NIV

My favorite way to get together with my friends is to enjoy lunch together. I regularly make reservations at various restaurants to meet each friend one-on-one. There’s something about eating a good meal that helps us especially enjoy our time together. At lunch, we can relax and be fully present with each other, rather than getting distracted by the items on our to-do lists. We can savor our food by eating mindfully and savor our conversations by listening well to each other. As we do, we’re free from stress and able to fully embrace the joy God offers in that experience. We could eat shorter and less expensive lunches if we just ate at home while talking on the phone together. But we don’t feel guilty about our restaurant lunches, because we know that eating our food with gladness together is always a good choice.

Have you ever felt guilty for enjoying something when you could have made a more practical choice? Maybe you went to see a sports game or a theater show in person, even though the tickets were expensive and you could have just watched TV instead. Maybe you took a day trip to a place you’ve wanted to visit for a while, instead of spending the day getting caught up on chores or errands. When you’re busy, it’s easy to feel like you always need to be practical and productive. But finding joy in life is also important, because God wants you to live life to the fullest. 

This verse from Ecclesiastes can remind you that God is a loving Father who loves to see you enjoy life. God has already approved of the happiness you get from a delicious dinner, a fun concert, or a trip to a museum with your family. Experiences like those aren’t distractions from your spiritual life; they’re a part of it. 

God is at work all around you, all the time. You can discover the wonder of God’s work every day – in nature, in the love that flows between you and your family and friends, and in many other experiences. You just need to make time to look for it. Paying attention to God’s wonderful work around you is easier when you’re not rushed and stressed. When you choose to go ahead and enjoy life day by day, you’ll naturally start to notice more of what God is doing in your life. 

So, go ahead. Enjoy your food with gladness. Drink your wine (or your water, or your tea) with a joyful heart. Embrace all the fun and adventure you can – and don’t feel guilty for it. God has already approved what you do! He wants you to find joy in your life, to see how that joy comes from the wonder of his work, and to be grateful for every single blessing he gives you. 

Enjoying your life on a regular basis is just as important spiritually as your regular spiritual practices, like prayer, reading the Bible, and going to church. Give yourself permission to enjoy your life. God has already given you his approval to enjoy the life he has so graciously given you! 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider how important it is to enjoy life, reflect on these questions:

How often do you feel guilty for simply enjoying something? Why do you think that is? 

What’s one action you can take today to look for the wonder of God’s work in your life? 

Think of a time recently when you felt a sense of pure joy. What was happening, and how can you see God working through that experience? 

What’s the difference between simple enjoyment and reckless indulgence? 

In what ways does finding joy in everyday life strengthen your relationship with God?

Further Reading:
1 Timothy 6:17
Psalm 16:11
Proverbs 17:22
Psalm 34:8
James 1:17

Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Matthew Hamilton 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com! 

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