Do you find it hard to enjoy the good gifts God has given you?

Trillia Newbell says that because of the fall, our approach towards enjoyment seems to fall into two dysfunctional categories.

“Either we are fully engaged in hedonistically pursuing our joy and fulfillment in the things of this earth, or we fear that anything we take joy in is ultimately sinful and selfish. We live either as if the world were our playground and everything is ultimately about us and our fulfillment or as if we were wasting precious time if not engaged in serious pursuits.”

Trillia says that the first extreme is idolatry because we place more emphasis on the creation, than we do the creator.

“We take good gifts from God and they rule us. If we stop receiving the gifts we can become despondent, depressed, discouraged. We can also fall into the trap of living as if this world is all there is.”

The other extreme of not letting ourselves enjoy anything out of fear, is just as toxic.

“We take ourselves too seriously and we fear delighting and enjoying.”

According to Trillia, one of the most common gifts that we idolize is work.

“Work is a good place, but some people live for work. I think work can sometimes be a ruler in our hearts. It can lead us to despondency and discouragement if we don’t get that next thing checked off our list.”

Work is not meant to leave us discouraged.

“It’s meant to be a delight. We can enjoy our work because we we’re created to create. We have to work to enjoy the task that God has given us and not let it turn into an idol.”

Trillia admits that she sometimes struggles to get her mind off work after she leaves the office.

“I can sit there with my family and I’m staring off into space, and my daughter will will look at me and say, mom, mom, mom, and I don’t hear her because my mind is somewhere else. I can’t enjoy my family time because my idol is taking over my mind.”


Trillia J. Newbell is the author of Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts. A gifted speaker, she regularly speaks about femininity, the church, theology and diversity to women in the United States and around the world. She is the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern, they reside with their two children near Nashville, TN.

Key Scripture: Psalm 16:11

Featured Songs: Your Love Awakens Me – Phil Wickham; Come on My Soul – Rend Collective; Live it Well – Switchfoot

Enjoy