A friend recently pointed out a bio description of a popular blog author who described himself as a “Christian Hedonist.” I was caught off guard and a bit uncomfortable by what seemed to be a contradiction of two terms. Hedonism would appear to stand in stark contrast to anything Christian. My curiosity sent me to Google which resulted in my discovery of this article containing a great explanation from Desiring God.
In short, Christian Hedonism is:
“…desiring the vast, ocean-deep pleasures of God more than the mud-puddle pleasures of wealth, power or lust. We’re Christian Hedonists because we believe Psalm 16:11, “You show me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy, in Your right hand are pleasures for evermore.”
God designed the human to pursue happiness.
“Does seeking your own happiness sound self-centered? Aren’t Christians supposed to seek God, not their own pleasure? To answer this question we need to understand a crucial truth about pleasure-seeking (hedonism): we value most what we delight in most. Pleasure is not God’s competitor, idols are. Pleasure is simply a gauge that measures how valuable someone or something is to us. Pleasure is the measure of our treasure.”
So, today, I want to be a Christian Hedonist. Do you?
