Can Christians have fun? By that, I mean to say: Can Christians have fun outside of singing hymns, listening to sermons, and fellowshipping over Sister Suzy’s latest dish at the church potluck?
Or are we supposed to be serious all the time?
You may think I’m exaggerating, but there exists within certain branches of Christianity a suspicion of any kind of “fun” or “entertainment” that is not centered on prayer, Bible reading, and church. If it’s outside the church, it’s to be regarded with suspicion. Indeed, many of these Christians set themselves up as Pharisee-like gatekeepers as to what even comes into the church.
I grew up in a Christian environment that emphasized so many rules — so many “Don’t do this! “Don’t do that!” — that I honestly came away thinking that if something is fun, God must be against it.
I’ve met many Christians over the years who see God as stern, always serious, and so demanding of His followers that they (consciously or unconsciously) see Him as wanting to wring every bit of fun and enjoyment out of our lives.
Writing for Relevant magazine, Adam and Christine Jeske humorously sum up this unfortunate mindset pretty well: “Go ahead and circle the wagons. Keep your head down. Suck it up, people. Let’s prepare for imminent martyrdom. Put on sackcloth. Sit in ashes. Skip all pleasures. Grit your teeth. Furrow your brow. Let’s hunker down and get seriously disciplish.”
Don’t get me wrong.
I’m not suggesting that all choices in terms of fun, pleasure, or entertainment are acceptable to God.
I’m also not suggesting that we should center our lives primarily on the pursuit of fun and pleasure.
We must certainly guard our hearts (see Proverbs 4:23) and keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27b). And we are to focus our mental attention on things that are “true,” “honest,” “just,” “pure,” “lovely,” and “of good report” (see Philippians 4:8).
So, please don’t take what I’m saying here as an endorsement of licentiousness or any form of libertarian freedom in the body of Christ that ignores Scripture or eschews accountability. What I’m calling for is love, humility, thoughtfulness, and discernment.
It’s true that God wants us to love Him above all else. It’s true that He wants us to willingly sacrifice for Him, and to be distinct, in many ways, from the culture around us. Nevertheless… God is NOT against His people having fun.
On the contrary, God is the One who created fun. Get that. Meditate on it. Let it sink in. God is the One who gave us the ability to smile and to laugh!
If God didn’t want us to enjoy life, He wouldn’t have created taste buds. Think about it! If God is anti-fun, He wouldn’t have given us the ability to enjoy food!
And a God who is against fun wouldn’t have blessed married couples with the ability to enjoy sexual intimacy.
Please let this truth sink in: God is not anti-fun!
Remember that King Solomon wrote that a “merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22a).
Too many followers of Christ have an uptight, anxious heart rather than a merry one. Don’t let that be you. Enjoy the life that God has given you. Just be sure you keep Him number one in all that you think, say, and do.
Don’t think of your walk with Christ as trying to please a stern taskmaster who is never happy or satisfied. That’s not true Christianity. Remember we are called to a relationship — a relationship with One who knows you thoroughly, loves you completely, and wants the very best for you.
Happy New Year!
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