It’s quite a promise. “In thy [God’s] presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” the Bible’s book of Psalms assures us (16:11). From a spiritual perspective, this promise of “pleasures for evermore” makes perfect sense. God, Spirit, created all that is real and created it spiritual and good. Because Spirit is unlimited, Spirit’s creation is equally unlimited. And everything in it is enjoyable. Forever. 

But it’s a promise that’s hard for the human mind to grasp. “All good things come to an end,” goes a popular saying. We remember good things in the past and look forward to good things in the future. But whether or not we are enjoying what’s happening right now, everything material is ephemeral. 

There’s an undeniable crossroads to be faced. One road is the assurance of the deep spiritual joys that were so tangible to the psalmist. The other offers a tempting path of plunging deep into materialism, seeking pleasure, happiness, and satisfaction through the material senses. But clinging to the belief that we can find lasting pleasure in matter is like trying to hold on to a sleeping dream when the alarm clock is ringing. Because the alarm is always ringing! We each have an innate spiritual sense that yearns for and insists on all that is spiritual and good.