The following post was written after my sister reviewed the post from earlier this week. Her feedback was so helpful — and enjoyable — that I am going to share it with you. Enjoy!*
“Have fun!” we say to our loved ones, as they go off to whatever experience is next on their schedule. In my family, we tend to say it whether that experience is a birthday party or a root canal. Whenever I stop to think about it, I feel guilty for wishing “fun” on someone, as if that’s the most important thing they could be seeking. I mean, shouldn’t we instead be saying something like, “Glorify God!” or “remain steadfast”, or even just “work hard”?
So, I did what I tend to do in these situations, which is to start with Google (yes, I know I should start with the Bible. Consider it part of my sanctification process, and remember that Google search results DO include Bible verses). I first looked up the definition of fun.
“Fun”, according to Merriam-Webster:
1 : someone or something that is amusing or enjoyable : an enjoyable experience or person
2 : an enjoyable or amusing time
3 : the feeling of being amused or entertained
When I think of the word “fun”, definition #3 is the one I most associate with it. Fun is amusement, entertainment — shallow and self-absorbed by nature. And no, there’s nothing good about being shallow or self-absorbed. But what about definition #1? An enjoyable experience or person. Enjoyable? Down the Merriam-Webster rabbit hole again, I find that “enjoyable” means “to take pleasure or satisfaction in.” Now THIS I can get behind. After all, doesn’t Jeremiah 31:25 tell us that the Lord satisfies the weary? Doesn’t Psalm 118:24 tell us to rejoice and be glad in the day the Lord has made? And don’t even get me started on Ecclesiastes. Enjoyment is absolutely a biblical concept, albeit one that is tied up unalterably with satisfaction in Christ.
So now that I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that it’s not WRONG to enjoy something, how do I actually live that out? Well, because I’m a natural pessimist, I start with the reasons that I am not experiencing joy in an activity, and look at how I can change that.
- I don’t like what I’m doing. Nobody likes cleaning the toilet, can I get an amen? And no matter how much I tell myself that I’m serving my family by doing this thing, I still have a hard time enjoying it. So, I combine it with something I do like to do. You might hear me singing Dolly Parton’s part to “Islands in the Stream” into the toilet bowl, and that’s just a thing you’ll have to live with (or if you’re my husband, wander into the bathroom with the guitar singing Kenny Rogers’ part of the duet). You also might hear me chatting with my mom on the phone while I work, because talking to someone I enjoy makes the dirty work fade into the background. The same thing can apply to exercise. I might hate exercising for the sake of exercising, but if it gives me an excuse to walk with a friend, I am there for it, 100%. Now, I understand this doesn’t work for everything. A root canal is a root canal no matter who’s with you or what you’re listening to while you have it. But there are many things that can be made more enjoyable by doing them along with someone or something else.
- I know I’m doing the wrong thing. Frequently, I’ll be in the middle of something — a movie, for instance — and enjoying it thoroughly, when I realize that this is definitely NOT what God would have me doing right now. I might have started the movie to spend quality time with my family, but the content of the film is not what I should be letting into my brain. God gives us those stabs of conscience, which might feel like they are ruining our “fun”, as a way to escape temptation. So when you feel them, listen.
- My attitude needs an adjustment. This is by far MY most common problem, and probably the one that root canals or difficult/confrontational conversations fall under. These are things that do need to be done, and no amount of fun music or good company is going to make them enjoyable for me. My heart has to be right in order to enjoy these circumstances. So I need to examine myself, ask myself where I need to adjust. My difficult conversation needs to happen because my loved one needs correction, needs to hear the truth because I love him. So I can thank God that I have the opportunity to talk, be grateful that he is open and willing to talk, and praise the Lord for giving me the opportunity to be used for good in his life. My root canal can be an opportunity to develop a relationship with the dentist or assistant that can eventually be a door to sharing the gospel with them. How amazing would THAT be? Who knows, maybe the dental assistant will end up being a close friend of mine someday! There are so many possibilities that I can’t even imagine them all, and sometimes just thinking of all the ways that God could use something for good, even though I don’t necessarily know how He will, is enough to make my heart glad in it. Because no matter how it turns out, or how uncomfortable it is right now, I know that ultimately it WILL be used for my good and for His glory. And that, when I truly understand it, always brings joy.
*That’s the other way to say, “Have fun!”