I Think I’d Like Meth

But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Revelation 2:24

It’s my nature to be open to new experiences and frankly, I worry that I may miss out on something life has to offer. Additionally, I have a lot of energy. If I could, I would be going and moving all the time. I write this so that the next thing I say makes sense – I think I would like methamphetamine. I don’t want to think that way, but whenever I meet a patient addicted to stimulants, there’s a part of me that wishes I knew what it was like. I don’t want to use meth now – I can see how destructive it is – but still, there’s this sick little part of me that feels like I missed out on something. Now I’ll never know . . . That bugs, me – the thought of missing out on some life experience.

This is a significant problem for many of us. We know that there’s secret knowledge of evil out there, and we don’t want to miss out. As young boys in the locker room, we didn’t brag about our ignorance of women, but rather, we made up lies to make it appear that we knew more than we did. As adults, it’s not natural to be grateful for what we have. Instead, we wonder what it’s like to live as other do. As Christians, we should be grateful for our ignorance of sin, but instead, there’s this little part of us that feels like following God means missing out on the good life.

This is the apple with which the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). This is still our temptation today. There’s a knowledge of evil out there and sometimes, we feel like we’re missing out. Maybe we even resent God a little for holding us back. Why did you give me these appetites if you didn’t want me to experience all life has to offer?

God, of course, wants what’s best for us. He created us to know life, joy, and peace in him. We all want to be happy – that’s not wrong. We go wrong in how we seek it. Frankly, we often seek satisfaction in evil. That’s our broken nature. God wants to protect us from self-destruction, but sometimes, we insist upon it. God allows that, but still, he desires that we daily find our true joy only in a loving relationship with him.