Joy & Pleasure Forever

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Psalm 16:11

Godffirmation is a Godblog and Godbrand that offers affirmation & confirmation based on the scriptures.

Key Scripture: Psalm 16:11, Romans 15:13 and Romans 14:17

“Pleasure and pain are closely linked.” Psychology Today

Video

Do you remember the song “Pleasure Principle”? To be honest, I do not know any words except the chorus. The video of her dancing was one that I have watched several times. The thing that holds my attention is her dance moves, especially the backflip. Other than that, I cannot quote any other words to that song.

There are several words that translate from Hebrew and Greek to English that describe the term pleasure. Four of them are listed below:

1. Chephets

2. Ratson

3. Eudokia

4. Hedone

   A general definition of pleasure is inclination, pleasure and delight. In Psalm 37:4, we are instructed to delight ourselves in the Lord. Delight and pleasure are synonyms. It is clear that God wants His children to take pleasure in Him. He knows your needs, wants and desires. He can give you the desires of our hearts that are in His will for you.

Pleasure is something that followers of Christ are told is available at God’s right hand. Psalm 16:11 boasts, “ At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (KJV). In this verse the word is plural but in the biblical definition of the word, pleasure has several meanings. One Greek word for pleasure is eudokia; this means good pleasure. A good description of pleasure is “A gratifying emotion, used in Scripture to refer to both human and divine emotions.” With anything in your life, there is a Godly definition and an evil meaning to these words.

When Pleasure is Bad

Sometimes as humans we can delve into areas that excite us or give us a dopamine hit too often. This type of behavior leads to addictions and in Christ this type of activity is sin. I could go on with a list of activities, but I will not do that here. (see 1st Corinthians 6:9-11).

God’s presence is the ultimate form of pleasure. When we feel the presence of the Lord, often times there is a mix of emotions. Some people may cry, speak in tongues, sing, dance, shout, bow their heads and so on. Overindulging in any activity can be detrimental. Choose what is pleasurable with discernment from God to avoid any traps from the enemy. Pleasure has a chemical effect on you physically, mentally and emotionally. Have you ever heard of a chemically induced coma? Drugs cause the coma.

How Pleasure Works

Your brain has a pleasure center and an area that produces Dopamine. The hormone dopamine is a neurotransmitter. It is an important contributor to body functions like movement, memory, reward and motivation. You can have high levels of dopamine or low levels of dopamine. A feeling of euphoria is experienced and it is believed by professionals that your brain is taught to remember the experience. (Find out more here: Cleveland Clinic) Sidenote: I took Anatomy and Physiology, so this is verrry interesting to me!

But on a serious note, what we choose for pleasure is important. The pleasure available at God’s right hand can cause us to develop a closer relationship with Him. Since I am not a biochemist, neuroscientist or neurologist I will end the discussion here.

Declaration:

Repeat this declaration and pray this:

Dear God,

Thank You for choosing me to be a part of this generation. I have been blessed by You and I take pleasure in Your presence. Fullness of joy resides there and pleasure forever. Righteousness is what is best for me. Amen.

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-cultures/202107/the-new-neuroscience-pleasure. Retrieved November 5, 2023. Online.

https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionary-of-bible-themes/5918-pleasure. Retrieved November 5, 2023. Online.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/pleasure/ Retrieved November 6, 2023. Online

https://neurosciencenews.com/pleasure-brain-8909/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine

Trena Marie Turner

Author, blogger

Pittsburgh, PA

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