I used to gauge a good time by how much I consumed, be it alcohol or drugs, and by carnal pleasures. Thinking back, I can't even remember my so called best times. They led to hangovers and hurt feelings, often marred by belligerent confrontations and public scenes. Many would still consider these times as fun. How many times have I laughed the next day with friends when recanting how wasted I was the night before or how I took advantage of a person of the opposite sex for carnal recreation with no thought to how I might have made that person feel. To my peers at the time, I was a "player", a cool dude who could party hard. There was absolutely nothing I could show for those times but a trail of wasted time, dead brain cells and broken hearts. Still, many would say the memories are worth it and continue to pursue such a life.

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A life dedicated to GOD and Jesus Christ means abstaining from such selfish pleasures. It means humbling yourself before GOD and your peers and pursuing spiritual accomplishments while leaving material desire behind as much as possible. In a sense, one has to check, as I have, their expectations and seek pleasure through other means, such as charity, pursuit of knowledge through GOD and the Bible and meditation through Christ. I no longer chase the good times...or what I used to consider to be good times and to honest, I don't miss them at all.



Many would think that abstaining from material and carnal pursuits, while dedicating your life to GOD would be boring and would feel morose. For me, it's been quite the contrary. When I decided to make the changes in my life, my old sense of good times melted away to expose a whole new world. Amongst the sin, pollution and decay in the world, GOD still provides us with so much beauty to appreciate if our eyes are opened to it. When my spirit came alive through Jesus, I started to find joy in simple things, such as when my daughter looks at me and asks for a hug, when flowers bloom or when snow falls and blankest the grey concrete of city life. It may sound corny to many but its true in my case and I strongly recommend this feeling.



Leaving my old life behind and living my life in a small attempt to imitate Jesus' time on earth has not left me sad or missing the so called good times, it has caused me to celebrate what GOD has provided for me. Even my food tastes better when I know it is a gift from GOD. These simple pleasures have become my new good times. The fleeting pleasures of intentional sin have given way to the enduring joy of truth through the Word and I remember each experience without the nasty hangover.