I was struck by this verse: “She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” (1 Timothy 5:6)

It means one who leads a voluptuous life, giving one’s self to pleasure, enjoyment, and luxury. Excessive, unrestrained gratification of one’s appetite, desire, and whims. Self-indulgence. Pleasure loving. Sensual gratification.

Can it be, when we give ourselves to the pursuit of pleasure, we are missing out on true life?

The truth is, God doesn’t want to keep us from pleasure. Instead, He wants to satiate us with the river of His pleasures. The word “river” here means torrent and rushing stream. There’s an abundance of pleasures in His presence that can truly gratify beyond capacity. There’s true satisfaction found in Him.

He wants to protect us from the passing, fleeting pleasures of sin. He knows our desires for temporal pleasure can wage war in our members. And He knows the pleasures of life can choke out growth, leading to a life with no fruit or maturity.

Though we once served various pleasures – yielding to, being a slave to, and submitting to our pleasures – let’s now give ourselves to obeying and serving God. Scripture says if we do this, we will spend our years in true pleasures.

May we not be counted among those who live in earthly pleasure and self-indulgent luxury, being known as lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; but instead may we seek out the fullness of joy in His presence, and the pleasures forevermore at His right hand!

Instead of living in pleasure and being dead while we live, God invites us to live in Him and be alive while we live.

(Psalms 36:8, Hebrews 11:25, James 4:1, Luke 8:14, Job 36:11, 2 Timothy 3:4, James 5:5, Psalms 16:11)