Does God want us to have fun?

[babybear1980]

My question is Does God want us to have any fun? I know we are supposed to live every minute for Him, but does that mean that we aren't supposed to have fun because having fun would me we are focused on ourselves and not Him? Is it possible to have fun and still be looking for opportunities to serve Him? Does any one have any scriptural references to back it up one way or the other? I just had a conversation with my fiance and he believes that if we are having fun we are fulfilling  our selfish nature and are therefore not focused on Him. I believe that you can have fun while serving Him. Any opinions or Biblical references to this?

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi babybear, It is great to see you here.

This depends on what a person calls fun. Unlike what some people think we are not necessarily to be "old stuff shirts" (although I have been called that occasionally    ) 

There are those that go so far as to say that we shouldn't laugh, we shouldn't sing and be merry yet we see throughout the Bible that we are told to sing praises to Him. Christians should be happy, the happiest of people.

We are told that whatever we do that we should do it in the name of the Lord. If we cannot do these things in honor to Him then we should not do them.

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Does this mean that we can't go miniature golfing, bowling, ice skating or to a movie? Not at all. Even these things can be an honor to God if we have Him in our hearts keeping Him foremost at all times. These things become sin only when we place them ahead of Him. I have found many wonderful witnessing moments during a miniature golf game. I have also found some wonderful fellowship times in Christ during such events that were quite edifying.

Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

[NateyCakes]

Greetings Babybear~
Well Pastor Roger just typed a GREAT post with much of what I was thinking.

I've been saved over 7 years now. I gotta tell you, I have a ton of fun! I go out, I do things, I hang w/ friends & family, Almost any person who knows me will you tell you that I never stop laughing or find something funny in anything...As Pastor Roger said its what you consider fun. If you've given your life to the Lord your old fun and some of the things you once did or people you were with don't really seem like fun anymore because you look through that and notice it isn't pleasing to God. It contradicts everything you believe in & What Jesus stands for and that your desire for "sin" in some instances just isn't there.
Before I was saved my favorite places were clubs & bars. I was never really a drinker, but I loved to hang out! Loved to do karaoke and shoot pool and just hang out & laugh, but w/ that came many things that I shouldn't have been doing. I'm sure you understand where I'm going. So now that I am saved, I don't have a real desire to go to some bar with a lot of foul mouthed, drunken individuals. Listen to their filthy conversations or have a guy try to pick me up to go home w/ him that night. See it doesn't fit into my lifestyle and I know by doing such it would displease God. As the Bible says "What does darkness have to do with light..."
Fun to me-I have so much of it. I still act immature w/ my sisters. We go out late at night but not at the bars. We usually go to some diner at 2 AM and just act silly like girls do. Then we go to Wal-Mart and just walk around & shop for things we really don't need. We go shopping, I go to the movies, I hit the flea markets & thrift stores on the weekends w/ friends, I go to Christian functions, I go to concerts, Play cards @ my girlfriends house-we are Euchre fanatics! I Have get togethers at my house for football or someone brings a movie. I mean seriously, I think thats a lot of fun.
Its just you have a different outlook on it when your focused on the Lord but God does NOT want or ask of us not to have fun. Actually, Its much more fun being a Christian then not! SO I think anyway~~

[TigerLily]

HI there.. I agree with P-Roger and Ncakes in what they say about us being able to serve God and have fun, I dont agree with your boyfriend in what he says about it fullfilling our selfish natures, God made us with natural senses of humour, If we were always serious and not having fun, we certainly wouldnt be an attractive group of people, We can live on this earth and serve God to the fullest of our capacity and still have fun, alot of fun! Getting together with our fellow christians is fun, playing games and being on the pc and even on here.. can be fun, playing sports.. and family get togethers and shopping and just about anything you would do on a daily basis you can do with your heart steered toward God, I beleive if we start our days off with God, and talk to Him thru the day (yes spend time on your knees in prayer) but also just talk to him, outloud, in your mind, from your heart, etc, what im saying is.. you can live your live as a christian should live, go about your dailey things, have fun be with people, work and or play and still do it as unto God, Give your day to Him, and you will find that there are so many ways that you can have fun and still be focused on God, It is not a sin to have fun, If , as others said you put things ahead of Him, then it becomes a sin, I truly believe God Himself has a sense of humor, I dont believe for a second that Jesus lived on this earth, spent time with family and friends.. and His desciples.. and never laughed.. never took time away from being serious to have fun!, Sure He did, I dont have scripture that says God laughed,, or God had fun, or Jesus spent the day relaxing and having fun, but I absolutley beleive He did! we are made in His image are we not? The JOY of the Lord is our strength..not the "serious, not haveing any fun, only doing boring and dull stuff is our strength ,, right? Theres a Hymn that says,, "we're a happy people , yes we are..." and my dear friend,.. how can we be happy, and not have fun? Its fun to have a boyfriend,. eh?  its fun to be married (no , its not all fun and games..) but there has to be fun in life,
I'm sure your boyfriend has fun in his life to,
Also, just a humorous thought... I'm thinking that God has to have a sense of Humor.. cause look how different He made Men from Women, then... expects us to live together...Get along, love each other, have children together, not kill each other(lol  ) and live a long Happy, fullfilled life together... that alone proves to me, that God has, and gave to us a sense of humor, cause my friend... there is no one that can do this.. without humor and without making fun abig part of your lives together, the same goes for families living together sons and daughtersliving in same homes.. there has to be fun!! , sorry i have babbled.. but to tell teh truth, I am having alot of fun and enjoyment posting on this site, and making new friends, fellow God fearing christian friends!
God Bless, Hope something one of us said helps answer your question!
Hugs
TL

[airIam2worship]

What wonderful replies, God wants us to be happy He is Love. We see in the Scriptures where David danced:

 2Sa 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

NOTE: with all his might, that tells me he was having a lot of fun 

The Bible also tells us what the fruit of the Spirit are;

Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Ga 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The Greek word for joy is

chara
khar-ah'
From G5463; cheerfulness, that is, calm delight: - gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy (-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).


How can we be joyful without without enjoying life?

In the book of 3 John we read

 3Jo 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

How can our souls prosper without all the fruit of the Spirit? Joy certainly chould be a part of every Christian's life.

How many people would we be able to win for Christ if we were always walking with our faces downcast and looking sad and empty? I don't beleive we would win any.

Christians can have fun in many ways as long as they are Godly.

[ibTina]

Also... remember that Jesus was at a wedding... and weddings are fun, at least they should be. Can you imagine Jesus laughing when the bride 'stuffs' the wedding cake into the grooms face... oh how sweet a sound must be, our Lord laughing!

[airIam2worship]

Amen Sister Tina, and I can almost imagine our Lord dancing for joy at that wedding too. Obviously the couple getting married were well known to Him and His mother since He was invited to the wedding. That also brings to mind another thing how He honors marriage. HMMMM.  Yes indeed it is wonderful to hear our Lord laughing. He must laugh and really enjoy it when we praise and worship and honor Him.