Fun is a four letter word - Part 2

When I wrote the earlier post on 'fun' I did not expect it to be a two parter. It was just an off the cuff article. But now after some reflection, I have some additions to make

The notion that making fun is the main aim of everything is more insidious than it appears. Wanting fun in every activity means that you want that shot of endorphin or dopamine in every activity. So, any activity that doesn't give you that is deemed not to be of interest to you. This meas that you short circuit rational though processes and depend only on one feedback qualifier: feelings of fun

Notice how dangerous this can be to your spiritual life. A bible study is 'boring' because you it involves work and processes of thought which at times can bypass those yearnings for emotional stimulation. What happens? You give up and thus, what could have been an important tool for spiritual growth is neglected because you let 'fun' be the dictator of what should be undertaken

I notice this all to much at church. We fear boredom and pain. Why? Sometimes, these two seemingly unwelcome fellows are exactly the teachers that we need

The best story I have heard regarding this comes from Gary Player, the world famous golfer who is up ther with such amazing legends as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Once, while Gary Player was at the driving range hitting balls, someone came up to him and said:

" I wish I could hit the ball like you"

Gary then thought about it and told the man:

" Sure, you can. Just get up at the crack of dawn. Hit a thousand balls until your fingers bleed. Wash the blood off. Then go hit a thousand more. Then, you'll hit the ball like me"

Gary said that the man then left looking sad. And this was his final comment:

" The man wanted to hit like me but he didn't want to do the hard word. Nor suffer the pain. It doesn't work that way - you have to go through all of that"

Likewise, recently when some of the youth asked me about how to deepen their spirituality, they didn't like the answers I gave. Hard bible study doesn't sound like fun. Disciplined prayer sounds even less. But that's what you need to grow into mature christians. And like that man, they will probably look for more 'fun' ways of becoming more mature or not bother. That is up to them

I have taken a stance like Gary. You want to know how to grow, I'll tell you with the limited knowledge I have. But I won't cajol or make you hit the balls. Nor will I call you at the crack of dawn to get to the driving range. You will have to dig deep and find the motivation to do so. Champions are driven from within, not from the outside.

So too with saints of God