Is the Christian life supposed to be no fun? I would say Absolutely Not. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

The other day, I had a friend of ours come over to the house. I have know this family for over 20 yrs. We knew them long before we moved to St. George. I worked with his wife in Phoenix and I never thought twice about going out to hangout at the bar with friends after work and there wasn’t much that was taboo from talking about. The one bar had a ladies night and they had male dancers. I worked at a truck stop and swearing was nothing unusual.

When my husband and I moved to St. George, I never really thought about how swearing sounded until I was the only one in a room and I got this overwhelming feeling that it was not OK. I call it the moment God gave me a wake-up call and told me I needed to start acting like a Christian and a believer in Christ. Not just in private, but in my words and actions. God put my own words on my heart like a ton of bricks. It was at the moment that I had to make a decision to stop making excuses about going out with friends to bars and swearing like a sailor.

What got me on this topic though is when he said that since I changed, I don’t know how to have fun since I am all about Jesus. It wasn’t in those exact words though. But that is basically what he was saying. He then proceeded to say that it is funner to go out to bars and strip joints than to go to church and be around the kind of friends I have. I am paraphrasing this again. As I thought on this for a split second, I was perfectly OK with what he said. The reason I say that is that he has been able to distinguish the old me and the new me. Ever since I was young, I believed in Christ. My actions and thoughts didn’t always show that I am a Christian and a believer in Christ.

For awhile I was thinking that it is possible that some non–Christians do have more fun. After all sin can be fun.  The things some people in my life look at as fun are not good or right for us. And because of the consequences, the so–called “fun” often ends up not being fun at all

Lies the Devil Tells Us:

• “The Christian life is a dull one with no fun.” “Christianity if no fun.” “To be a Christian is to be a ‘stick in the mud.’” “All Christians are ‘goody two-shoes.’” To that I say “No fun? By fun you might be thinking of hangovers while sticking your head in the toilet as you throw up all over yourself, sickness, and memory loss?  Not to mention promiscuous tendencies that destroy families?
• “If I am going to be a Christian I have to give up everything.” I have found that when I  devote myself to God,  He fulfills the most amazing dreams and promises than I could imagine.
• “Christians miss out on so much”… I would have to say that as a Christian my life is fuller than I could have ever dreamed it could be. I feel for those who don’t understand what that kind of peace and love is.

There is a saying that is well known, “If you talk the talk, then you have to walk the walk.” When I think about what it means to walk the walk I believe that in my life, my faith in Christ requires a strong determination to follow God’s plan regardless what life throws my way. There are times I have had to put on the brave face and the Armour of God and have courage to stand up for my beliefs, even if it isn’t the popular or fun thing to do. I have never regretted doing that. I figure I must be doing something right if those people in my life over 20 yrs ago can see the change and the difference.

My life needed to have a little shake up. I was in need of the wake up call and I needed to get back on the right path. The moment I was forced to look deep inside myself and I wasn’t happy with my own choices, I decided I needed to throw my arms up in the air and surrendered to Him again. Jesus Christ changed my life. I didn’t change my life. Without Him, I would be at the same miserable place I was at before. I just didn’t realize how unhappy I was with my choices in life. God took me on a journey when we moved to St. George. He taught me how to open up my heart and walk by faith.

When someone tells me that I’m not fun anymore because I don’t go out and party, drink and do things that I knew I shouldn’t have been doing, I am perfectly fine with that. I enjoy my life as a believer in Christ. God has blessed me more than any person could. I guess what some see as fun activities aren’t fun for everyone. I enjoy real relationships and friendships. God has entrusted me with some of life’s most treasured moments.

Jesus is looking for those with clean hands and a pure heart, those who will choose obedience even if it costs them everything this world has to offer. He is looking for those who will throw caution to the wind, believe that he has an abundant life (John 10:10) waiting if we will follow his ways.

I thank God everyday for His promises even when it seems there is no hope. Even when my life seems out of whack. God is the One in control. So to those who thinks being a Christian is no fun, I would like to say that you aren’t really living, till you know that you have forever.

Throughout my life and all the journeys to come, I’m waving the white flag of surrender. God is in control of my life and I am more than willing to use it for His glory.

Here is a fun Christian song called “What if Cartoons Got Saved” by Chris Rice.