Are you guilty of pleasure?

It’s funny. I was reminded by some TikTok video of the saying just prior to the death of Jesus. He said the Greek word (allegedly) “tetelestai” which has been translated to “it is accomplished or completed.” In essence, at least according linguistic scholars, He was saying, “my work here is done.” It’s all Greek to me.

But it makes me think that the suffering of Jesus before death was what saved us from suffering the man-made hell of our minds from guilt, shame and resentments among other bad ju-ju. He suffered so we wouldn’t have to- on earth. His work here was finished. You are saved because of the suffering Jesus endured to destroy the myth of redemption through self-flagellation. Jesus was a fucking rock star.

It proves He didn’t have to go to hell after experiencing hell on earth and duke it out with Satan for our salvation. He didn’t even have to rise again to save us from hell somewhere else. He rose again as further confirmation that He could defeat anything, even suffering and death. And like He said, over and over and over, “Anything I can do, you can do better.” I paraphrased that one before you could say, “No, I can’t” like that song. But essentially, yes, queen. You can stop feeling guilty for stupid things, like enjoying TV shows and movies starring Candice Cameron Bure. You can stop it. Just stop it. Your time was served on the cross by Jesus so you don’t have to punish yourself for enjoying silly things.

In fact, I think the suffering of Jesus was really for people who hurt other people, and not for people like you and me merely enjoying ourselves looking at TikTok. So why would you waste the mercy and suffering of Christ by punishing yourself with guilt and shame over Hallmark movies or spending too much time laughing at memes on Facebook or Insta? I don’t know either, but I have done that to myself at times. I feel guilty for the actions of others. I feel guilty for stuff I enjoy. I feel guilty for something I said in 1993. I don’t know why. Actually, I do know why. It’s because people who are abused as children learn to look for ways not to piss people off who willingly get pissed off without any impetus. When you are trying to stop other people from having unwarranted, strong emotions toward you by going out of your way to keep them light, you start believing you are responsible for the happiness of others. You start to assume you are responsible for their sadness, too. Of course, that day you did something for yourself which was wonderful, nourishing and healing, well, that probably took you from something that *could* have made your narcissist parent happy. So now, for the rest of your life, enjoying life feels like dropping the ball on someone else’s happiness. Enjoying a TV show with no teeth to it feels like flaking on the unspoken obligation to make other people feel better.

Long story short: stop it. Feel pleasure with underlying feelings of belonging. No more admonishment for feeling good or relaxed. Certainly commend yourself for being stress free for an hour or two. If you can do something that makes you laugh, all the better. Laughter is amazing medicine. Every good action has a ripple effect upon others. Being joyful and delighted makes a BIG ripple. So, please, allow those moments. Schedule time for those moments if you must, and hold yourself accountable to experience daily pleasure. When you write it down on your calendar, be specific about it.

You are worth it!

Prayer About Delightful Pleasure April 17, 2022

I know all the joy in the Universe comes from The Divine. Joy can look like a bear scratching its back on a tree, a dolphin leaping from the ocean or even a pig having a 30 minute orgasm. As the saying goes, “the Lord works in mysterious ways.” I have felt the joy of singing on stage, snuggling in the early morning when my kids crawl in my bed or dancing barefoot with my husband under my apple tree. The Divine experiences these joys through me. I have an obligation to live joyfully. Joy is my calling.

I am living in Joy, the Divine verity of Joy. The truth of what I am is Joy. In any given moment even when I feel scared, afraid or sorrow, no matter what I feel, I can quiet myself. I can ask who I am underneath this experience, and something from the deepest part of me speaks boldly, “you are Joy.” I am Joy! I am Joy! I can feel it! Experiencing this joy to its fullest, feeling it in every cell of my being and feeling in perfect alignment with my joy is my inheritance.

I deny power to any thoughts that would suggest I should experience less Joy, I should regret Joy or that I don’t deserve Joy. These feelings of self-destruction and moreover joy destruction are what I was saved from. Joy is what I was made and saved FOR! I allow these erroneous sabotaging ideas to dissipate into the nothingness from which they were formed. In my mind, I already feel they are no more. I am once again made whole in my experience of Joy. I feel a sense of purpose in Joy and through the acceptance of Joy as who I am. I know I will always be expanding to experience ever more Joy!

I release these words into Divine Unfoldment through the upward spiraling nature of Joy. I release, I let go, I let the Spirit of Joy run my life. I am redeemed in it. I feel gratitude in the experience of embodying Joy as I squeal with glee.

Sacred Joy is already here, now. It lives inside me, and there’s nothing of this joyous life left unfinished. It is accomplished and completed. Tetelestai!

This is my destiny. This is what I was redeemed for. It is Joy. As so it is!

Amen.