The Pleasure Principle!

Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 (KJV)
¹ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
² I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
³ I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

           In this chapter, Solomon shares with us the different ways he tried to find purpose in pleasure.  In the first section of this chapter, Solomon tried to find meaning in life through the enjoyment of pleasure.  Solomon uses the word eight times in this book which suggests pleasure was a primary focus for him at one time.  Solomon was involved in hedonism.  Hedonism is a school of thought which argues pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure.  It focuses on what makes one feel good without any pain.  As I look at the world we live in, it is a pleasure driven world.  Many people will do anything to buy temporary experiences to help them escape from the burdens of life. 

What form of pleasure have you used trying to escape the burdens of life?  If you live for pleasure alone, enjoyment will decrease unless the intensity of the pleasure increases. Then you reach a point of diminishing returns when there is little or no enjoyment at all, only bondage.   That is why Solomon continues to use the phrases “vanity” and “vexation of spirit.”  Pleasure’s trap is it will have you chasing a feeling you will never get again. 

What does pleasure have you pursuing or chasing after?  When pleasure alone is the center of life, the result will ultimately be disappointment and emptiness.   Pleasure can never bring true satisfaction because it only appeals to part of the person and ignores the whole person. Benjamin Franklin sums it up well about pleasure when he states “many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.”  He lets us know that pleasure costs and we have to be careful not to allow it to hold us captive.

God bless and keep you is my prayer.