When is the last time you intentionally and frivolously indulged yourself? Most of us don’t even take the time to take care of our basic needs sufficiently with all of life’s demands competing for our time, let alone do something extra special for ourselves.

Do you believe you are worth it? Or is everyone and everything more important than you? Think of the special things you do for others to let them know you love and value them: you go to work to provide for them, you take your children to the park and practice their sports, repair what is broken, fix your daughter’s hair, send your friend a card, take a special someone out to lunch or dinner, and do all kinds of things for your family. You deserve as much from yourself.

For the woman reading this, whatever your routine is in taking care of yourself: exercise, sleep, diet, friends, outings, or a favorite book, go one step beyond and do something more—something that makes you feel valued and taken care of. Make sure it feels like you are indulging yourself: a facial, a massage, a special lunch, a bath, a movie, a play, a concert, a vacation, a whole day where you do nothing, girls’ night out, the beach, or anything else that feels different than what you normally do.

For the men reading this, take the time to remember who you are and were. Enjoy getting together with the guys to watch your favorite team play a game or join a team to play your favorite sport yourself. And like the women, make sure you indulge yourself: get that nice watch, new gadget, or new electronic toy.

Whether man or woman, we get locked in a routine and forget to breathe deeply and feel pleasure. Indulging ourselves breaks the routine and gets our attention. Is your first thought that God wouldn’t approve? Well, he does. He created the earth and everything in it for your pleasure and use. And he created within you the ability to experience happiness, joy, desire, longing, satisfaction, and pleasure. It is these things we lose in the routine of life. It is this that you are seeking to rediscover–if only for a moment. It doesn’t have to be expensive—just enjoyable, doable, morally acceptable, and good for you.

By Karla Downing

Relationship Devotional Prayer

 
God,

Help me to truly believe I am worthy of experiencing joy, pleasure, and self-worth. Allow me to indulge myself occasionally without feeling guilty.

Relationship Devotional Challenge

• Find one way to indulge yourself this week that is above what you normally do to take care of yourself.

Scripture Meditation

 
Genesis 1:28-31

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (NIV).

God created the earth and everything in it for your pleasure. Take advantage of his provision.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during his few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God” (NIV).

King Solomon came to the conclusion that it is good for pepople to enjoy their God-given work and possessions and to experience satisfaction from them.