I know we've talked about saying "No" without feeling guilty...in relation to others. Without a doubt, it is an indispensible quality we should all have and also apply to ourselves. I mean, what is the value of being able to say "No" to others without feeling guilty and not thinking about or ever saying "No" to yourself? Or of saying "No" then eating or "beating" yourself up?
In Ecc 2:10a, King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, said:
"Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing." (The Message)
I also like the NIRV rendition of the verse: "I gave myself everything my eyes wanted. There wasn't any pleasure that I refused to give myself." (NIRV)
Can you imagine that kind of life? The worst kind of life ever is one where "everything goes"...
Think about it, do you realize that the garbage can/trash bin (depending on what you call it) is one place where everything goes? These days, even garbage cans are "selective" on what should be put in them (according to Waste Management bodies).
If garbage cans can say "no" to particular types of items, why shouldn't we do better? Not every "pleasure" is pleasing to God - some of them are outright sins. There also some pleasures that are not sins which we don't need - whether or not we can afford them.
We are not garbage cans and must not treat ourselves as such. We must all learn to say "No" to ourselves and actually say "No" to even "good" things as appropriate...
...that is a virtue and legacy worth passing on.
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