Where have I heard that expression? If you are a child of the 80’s, you didn’t even need to ask that question. You KNOW that Garfield, the cartoon cat created by Jim Davis, said that. He said that a lot, and he said it about a lot of things. To Garfield, if he didn’t think it was a big deal, it wasn’t. The same can be said about us. Everything is no big deal until God reveals it as such.
When you were a child, thrill rides like roller coasters were…well…a thrill! Most people love the highs and lows, twists and turns, the danger. The ride made them squeal in delight, and the riskier they were, the better. For me, this was especially true during my teenage years. Bring on the thrills, whatever they were.
Once I went off to college and got married, and especially after I had children, I looked at those thrill rides a little differently. I started wondering if they were really safe. I wondered if the person who put the rides together had done so well and had maintained them properly. I was not as happy to ride them, but I often did, and I still found some fun in them, though not as much.
When I did ride, I was often afraid waiting in line and even during the ride. And when I let my children ride rides, I was glad they were having fun, but I was a little afraid for them too. Had I made the right decision allowing them to do this? What if something happens to them! Can any of you parents out there relate? I’ve been to some sketchy carnivals with my children, and I bet you have too.
Now, as I approach age 50, a lot of rides have started making me sick. I am often sick for quite a while after riding them, even if I had fun. Often, I choose not to ride at all, because the thought of what it will be like during or after the ride just doesn’t make them worth the risk. I am also often afraid for my sons to ride. I worry about their safety. I want to keep them safe. That is my job, even if they don’t think it is.
Just like views of a roller coaster can change as you get older, so your views of sin can change as you mature. Activities, people, places, and things you once enjoyed make your heart hurt. They literally make you sick, and when you see others enjoying them, it breaks your heart for them. You fear for those about to get on the ride, wondering if they will even get off the ride alive or perhaps be hurt.
In my desire to be real and transparent with you, as promised, I will give you an example of how my own heart changed about something. Deep breath. Here goes…
An unfortunate truth is a good majority of people have seen pornographic images. They either seek them out, run across them accidentally, or they receive them from a friend. As a teen and young adult, I had certainly seen this type of material, though not regularly. For the most part, it didn’t bother me,too much. Honestly, I didn’t really think much about it, other than feeling bad for the people who were addicted to it. That is until God changed my heart and the veil dropped from my eyes.
The day the veil dropped, it was totally unexpected. Someone sent a pornographic image to someone I happened to be standing with at the time. Not naming names. Sorry. The person I was with turned the phone for me to see. As soon as I saw the image, my heart broke. It broke so completely that I began to cry immediately. This made no sense. I had occasionally seen things like this before in years past, and I wasn’t bothered by them at all. What happened? The person I was with certainly wondered as well. They looked at me like I was crazy.
What happened was that I grieved the Holy Spirit. I accepted Christ at 11, but I hadn’t really made any concerted effort to mature as a Christ follower until I was around 30 when I became pregnant with my first child. Life was a far cry from what I had hoped for, and I was so worried about what I was bringing him into. I needed God, and I needed Him fast. Before that time, I wasn’t too bothered by much.
I had been working hard to grow as a Christian, and it was showing. That day, when I cried instantly over that picture, I knew. In no uncertain terms, the Holy Spirit let me know that was not OK for me to see that image, and I was heart broken for the poor girl in the photo. That particular roller coaster was not safe or fun anymore. I could not just say, “Big fat hairy deal.” Because it was now a very big deal for sure. Sorry, Garfield.
Finding Joy: Listen for the voice inside you telling you what was previously fun and exciting is no longer for you. Is it whispering? Is it screaming? I know it is hard to let go of activities, items, or pursuits that we used to enjoy, but guess what? When you do, you will also be letting go of the shame and guilt and consequences that result. Each time you resist, a link in the chain breaks. You are being set free, no longer being driven and forced to ride that ride. Now that is found joy.
Related Scripture:
Ephesians 4:30 – And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
1 Corinthians 6:12 – All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
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