Local Church Discussions - View Single Post - Local Church Speak

Cal · 11-17-2014, 01:29 PM

Given the human species' vast need for feeling good, I would say that by de-legitimizing all other kinds of enjoyment other than "enjoying the Lord," the LC pretty much pushed itself into overemphasizing spiritual enjoyment, to the fault OBW noted.

Said another way, if the only means to feeling good is some way of enjoying the Lord, then naturally that is what you are going to emphasize, at the expense of other experiences.

However, the reality is God gives us a lot of different things to enjoy: creation, our families, relationships, work, hobbies, art, intellectual pursuits, creativity, physical activities, laughter, etc. In all these we can experience the joy of the Lord. However, if you believe you should only "enjoy the Lord," then your natural need for pleasure is going to make getting pleasure the focus of your spiritual life, and every meeting is going to be a quest for a high, since all other forms of fun are suspect at best.

11-17-2014, 01:29 PM	#83
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	Re: The Lexicon — "Exercised in Your Spirit" Given the human species' vast need for feeling good, I would say that by de-legitimizing all other kinds of enjoyment other than "enjoying the Lord," the LC pretty much pushed itself into overemphasizing spiritual enjoyment, to the fault OBW noted. Said another way, if the only means to feeling good is some way of enjoying the Lord, then naturally that is what you are going to emphasize, at the expense of other experiences. However, the reality is God gives us a lot of different things to enjoy: creation, our families, relationships, work, hobbies, art, intellectual pursuits, creativity, physical activities, laughter, etc. In all these we can experience the joy of the Lord. However, if you believe you should only "enjoy the Lord," then your natural need for pleasure is going to make getting pleasure the focus of your spiritual life, and every meeting is going to be a quest for a high, since all other forms of fun are suspect at best.