Many Christians, especially among the young, are interested in knowing what pleasures are inconsistent with a Christian's life. What sacrifices in this respect does God ask us to make? God does not ask us to make sacrifices for its own sake. When he asks us to give anything up, it is because he knows it would be harmful to us to keep it. In all our thoughts about God we must hold with a firm grip the great fundamental truth that he loves us. We cannot think rightly or feel comfortable without starting here. Because he loves us he wants us to be happy. He does not want to take away our happiness but to give us more. And he knows that we can be happy only as we love and serve him. He really asks us to give up nothing, except to give ourselves to him. When we realize that we belong to him we also realize that certain things harm us, and that certain other things may have a harmful influence upon others. We are living for him, and for the people for whom his Son died. All these questions settle themselves quite easily then. There are many unobjectionable pleasures, but we should shun those that waste precious time; that lead to evil companionships; that involve acts and associations which interfere with our spiritual progress; that are inimical to health or reputation, and also those that, by setting a bad example, may operate as a stumbling-block to others. In this way we will find more happiness in the consciousness that we are pleasing and helping him than we could ever have found in any form of self-indulgence.
