“Stan,” I asked, “do you think God is a killjoy?”
“Why do you ask that?” Stan replied.
“Well,” I said, “you talk a lot about denying self and I wonder if that means that God doesn’t want me to have any fun.”
“I can certainly relate to your question,” Stan said. “For all of my life before I became a Christian and also before I began a serious walk with God, I did just what I wanted, had a lot of what I called ‘fun’, and did not think I wanted to give any of that up. I considered it fun, but, in retrospect, it certainly was not joy.”
“But,” he continued, “as I began walking the road towards transformation, God showed me a totally different kind fun and joy, a joy that I could never have imagined apart from the Holy Spirit living in and having unrestrained access to guiding me.”
“Let me give you an example,” Stan said. “I realize it doesn’t apply to everyone, and may or may not apply to you, but it is my story. Take it for what it is worth.”
“At one point in my life,” he continued, “I could not imagine having any fun at a party where there was no alcohol, but through a gradual process, God’s Holy Spirit removed alcohol from my life. That aspect of what I considered to be fun is no longer there. And I can assure you I am very thankful, for I know the lack of fun and joy that results from awakening the next morning suffering the consequences of too much ‘fun’, quote, unquote.”
Continuing, Stan said, “Through the joy the Holy Spirit pours into my life, the joy that I receive and embrace, God has changed me. He has changed my perspective of what I consider to be ‘fun’. And He has changed what I want to be doing for the remainder of my time on this side of eternity.”
Concluding, he continued, “I certainly would not describe God as a ‘killjoy’, in the sense that He doesn’t want me to have any fun, but I would definitely say He does want me to remove from my life everything that is contrary to what He has for me. Everything that is contrary to His description of fun and joy.”
“Remember three things, First, that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Second, God wants my joy to be in Him. Third, He wants and has the way for my joy to be complete.”
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These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:11.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that what you have for me is so much better than what I can conceive of by myself. Thank you for your joy that flows into me from the fruit of your Holy Spirit. I confess that too often I look for fun and joy from what I want to do apart from you rather than from what you have for me in being with you. Please forgive me. And please, Lord, lead me in removing everything from my life that you want removed because you know that what you have for me far surpasses anything I want for myself apart from you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 