We often hear the phrase “carpe diem” – seize the day, eat, drink, and be merry. But does living solely for immediate pleasure actually satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart? In this gentle and encouraging letter, Oggy responds to Sarah’s question about faith and fulfillment. Discover why God’s invitation isn’t to restrict our joy, but to ground it in a peace that lasts long after the present moment fades.
Dear Sarah
Your question is a good one – ‘Why shouldn’t I just enjoy life or does God not want me to?’ The fact is that God does want us to enjoy life to the full but let me unpack that a little.
Back in 1949, Carl Sigman & Herb Magidson wrote a song with the lyric, ‘Enjoy Yourself – It’s Later Than You Think’. This is a philosophy based around the ‘Carpe Diem’ principle – seize the day! Our impulse is to live just to satisfy our physical and emotional desires but doing so doesn’t satisfy the deep longings of the human heart for a meaningful life.
Saint Augustine and Solomon tried living like that but both came to the conclusion that it was not a fulfilling was to live. Listen to what they said:
Solomon: “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?”
St Augustine: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.”
They both discovered that a satisfying and joyful life comes through being at peace with God. The connection Jesus gives us to God makes full enjoyment of the good gifts He gives to us possible. So we can enjoy the material things whilst having our spiritual and emotional needs met. Jesus warned against living just for the present without thinking about our relationship with God (see Luke 12: 13-21). If we just ‘eat, drink and be merry’ in the now, it’s as if we spend all we have now without ‘laying up treasures in heaven’.
Back to the song – ‘Enjoy Life …It’s Later Than You Think’
It’s not from the Bible, but it carries a spiritual nudge that Scripture recognises: life is shorter, more fragile, and more precious than we often dare admit.
The Bible doesn’t tell us to panic about time — but it does tell us to wake up to it.
1. Life is shorter than we imagine
Moses prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Not to frighten us — but to focus us. Wisdom grows when we realise that time is not infinite, and therefore moments matter.
2. Joy is a way of life – God’s gift
‘Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy’ – Philippians 4:4 (NCV)
Solomon writes, “Go, eat your food with gladness… for it is now that God favours what you do” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). In other words: Don’t postpone joy. Don’t wait for the perfect season. Don’t assume you’ll “get round to it.”
Joy is not a luxury; it’s a spiritual fruit you find in Galatians 5:22, and it’s for you Sarah. A declaration that God is good now, not only later.
3. The enemy of joy is delay
We often say: “I’ll rest when things calm down.” “I’ll reconnect when life slows.” “I’ll worship deeply when I feel better.”
But life rarely slows. And joy rarely arrives by accident.
Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Fullness is not a future promise — it’s a present invitation.
4. What if ‘later’ is now?
Sarah, perhaps the Spirit is whispering:
- Call that friend.
- Take that walk.
- Pray that prayer.
- Sing that song.
- Rest without guilt.
- Laugh without apology.
- Thank God without delay.
Not because life is running out — but because life is happening now.
5. A gentle challenge
What one small joy have you been postponing? What gift has God placed in your hands today? What moment could you savour rather than rush past?
Sometimes spiritual maturity looks like courage. Sometimes it looks like endurance. And sometimes — surprisingly — it looks like joy.
A Quote to Carry
“Joy is the serious business of heaven.” — C.S. Lewis
Sarah, God does want you to live this life full of joy but hopefully you can see this truth – joy without God becomes escapism, but joy with God becomes worship. This changes everything so you can enjoy God and bring joy to Him – sharing joy with God is a life worth living.
Your friend,
Oggy
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