Start with yesterday’s post.

So if you accept the fact that God has wired us for pleasure, we’ve got to also recognize something has gone wrong. Here’s what I mean…

A warm cinnamon roll and a glass of milk are a treat. A half dozen rolls is a food addiction.

A glass of wine can be enjoyable. Half a bottle is an alcohol addiction.

Appreciating an attractive woman is normal. Viewing her naked on the Internet is a sex addiction.

Legitimate God-given pleasures taken beyond God-given boundaries become addictions or twisted counterfeits of what God intended. Eventually they become idols or gods who force us to bow down to them. What we once controlled now controls us. We become slaves to very cruel, unforgiving masters. Paul explained it all in Romans 6.

God’s boundaries aren’t meant to rob of us fun or withhold secret delights. They’re meant to protect us from harm and provide the maximum amount of guilt-free, shame-free pleasure.

To further complicate matters, this world system, our sinful nature (flesh) and the deceiving enemy of our souls tempt and entice us to push beyond the pleasure boundaries in an attempt to avoid the pain, mask the loneliness, cover the disappointment or escape the rejection.

We experience a temporary thrill, relief, sense of fulfillment or happiness, but they are quickly replaced by shame, guilt, self-hatred and a desire to hide from God. It happened to Adam and Eve. It happens to me. I suspect it happens to you, too.

There’s an underlying cause to our boundary-breaking pleasure-seeking. Come back tomorrow and we’ll talk about it.