Dark-Side vs. Light-Side Pleasures: Why God’s Way Leads to Lasting Joy

Summary

Dark-side pleasures are self-focused and ultimately destructive, whereas light-side pleasures flow from seeking God’s kingdom. Everyday examples show that sinful pursuits promise enjoyment but extract a high cost. True, lasting joy comes as a by-product of sacrificial living—investing time, resources, and energy in God’s purposes and the good of others. Light-side pleasures bring deep contentment now and even greater rewards in eternity.

Dark-Side vs. Light-Side Pleasures

I planted carrot seeds in my garden in mid-April every year. I harvested them at the end of August. It was a thrill to find the biggest one. That pleasure had a price. Because of the size of my carrots, store-bought versions tasted better.

Furthermore, I strained my back while weeding and thinning them. Plus, they occupied garden space that other vegetables could have filled more profitably. In 2020, I quit planting carrots. Dark-side vs light-side pleasures are like that. The pleasure is not worth the pain.

The Nature of Dark-Side Pleasures

We naturally pursue unsatisfying, self-stroking, dark-side pleasures that the Bible calls sins as ends in themselves. The upside is not worth the downside.

Fulfilling, light-side pleasures are by-products of prioritizing God’s kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). They thrive when we live to benefit God and others.

The Cost of Self-Focused Living

Dark-side living is pleasure-sucking. Life is about us, and everything moves toward us. Sacrificial, light-side living is pleasure-pumping. Life is about fulfilling God’s purpose. God’s life moves away from us as we bless others. We experience a backflow of light-side pleasure in its highest, purest, and eternal form.

Solomon viewed pleasure through God-tinted glasses: “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes 2:24 NIV). Keeping God in the center of life ushers us into light-side pleasures.

Dark side pleasures are self-focused. They thrill us as they kill us. For example, excessive drinking enables us to forget our problems temporarily at the crushing cost of damaging our physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, financial, and relational health.

Most dark-side pleasures, however, are more subtle than excessive drinking. They are more like trying to pet a rabid dog. We are unaware that pursuing these pleasures will not end well.

The Three Sources of Dark-Side Desire

Dark-side pleasures rule self-centered lives—they are our default settings. Many of them are legal, well-advertised, and socially acceptable. They are not God-centered. They exact a high price for good feelings. Dark-side pleasures come in three main varieties.

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:16 NIV).

Dark-side pleasures are God-free and biblical-love-free. Like juicing an orange, we try to squeeze personal pleasure out of people, places, and things.

Self-serving thinking drives pleasure-seeking with usually unintended and sometimes catastrophic consequences. We drive the wrong way on God-posted one-way streets as a way of life and justify it. “I’m only going one way!” My way! It does not end well.

Light-Side Pleasures and God’s Kingdom

Light-side pleasures cost us something upfront. But when we spend our time, talents, finances, and energy to benefit God and others, the rewards are ocean-deep joy in Jesus and contentment on earth.

The Joy That Follows Sacrifice

The Bible promises that additional rewards will follow (Matthew 6:1-6). Light-side pleasures are mountaintop experiences on earth, but the best is yet to come!

Photo: Image Creator (microsoft.com)