TO LIVE AGAIN

There are times when the routine really does seem to kill the soul. We become so weary of doing the same thing and never having any variety. And sooner or later we feel that tap on the shoulder where our inner voice shouts, "I'm bore to death."

Sometimes people respond to such comments by ignoring them. In their minds fun is almost a sinful behavior. So they repress their need for diversion. If this happens too long and for the unhealthiest of reasons the consequence and truly be tragic in some cases.

That is when we heard about the bizarre tales of some otherwise normal person going off the deep end and doing something totally out of character. If the person is say a pastor or some other person in leadership who is consider a role model, the impact of such behavior can affect so many others.

The big problem to me is how does one appease the inner child's begging for the forbidden in a way that doesn't harm? Or is it even possible?

I agree with those who have taught that God does give us healthy and beneficial means to satisfy our desires. It would hardly be logical of him to give us desires and then not have provided a means for them to be satisfied.

However, that doesn't always mean the healthy and beneficial choices hold the most appeal. If one is toying with some desire and in their minds it represents some kind of sin then if they decide to satisfy the desire they can easily take it to an extreme. The excuse being, among others, that if they are going to sin then you shouldn't worry about any form of restraint.

I don't seek in this posting to camp out as some would on a given form of desire. The principal is the issue, not a given desire.

To that end, I think the first element is being honest. To not allow one self to rely on other's definition of what is sin, but instead base it on what God has said. Tradition often makes us prisoner of the types of prejudice where we think something is a sin because some narrow minded person holding a bible says so, even if they never open the bible to read the contents.

I've seen such situations occur with things as simple as going to the movies or dancing. And there are those for whom they think such activities are sinful regardless of what the Lord says.

More than anything I think it means seeking God in prayer when struggle or feeling confused over a given desire. If we are truly listening and not simply trying to get a justification for our behavior, the Lord will guide us in the path that will give us the help we need. It might not be the answer we expected, but it will be the one that ultimately will benefit instead of hurt.