When “Illusory Delights” Call Your Name
Sometimes we just want a little satisfaction, don’t we? A touch of comfort, something that takes the edge off, a moment where we feel filled. But, the real question is: what actually meets us at the deeper level?
Paul hints at this in his letter to the Corinthians:
“You say, ‘I have the right to do anything,’ but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:23–24)
There’s an even higher call woven through Scripture: to seek God’s will and pursue it with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.
And yet, we’re often tempted to meet our own needs first—and fast. We lean on our own strategies, or we look to others to fill the gaps. At first, that urge can feel almost noble or necessary. But Ignatius of Loyola, writing in the 15th century, named these moments for what they are: “illusory delights.”
They’re the offerings that shimmer just enough to catch our attention—the imagined pleasures dangled in front of us with the quiet suggestion that this will finally satisfy. But they almost always fade quickly, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
This time of year, those “illusory delights” seem to multiply. We’re handed new “needs” we didn’t know we had, along with shiny promises of how to satisfy them. It’s easy to drift. This is why spiritual alertness matters. Beneath the surface of everything lies a spiritual root. Many temptations are simply tools designed to pull us off course—away from God, away from purpose, away from clear, healthy connection with others.
Instead, we can take our place with brothers and sisters throughout history—those who recognized the battle, resisted the enemy’s voice, and chose the lasting delight of the Father. He sees the quiet struggle of the heart, and He rewards it (Matthew 6:6,18).
We can learn from Adam and Eve’s failure to discern, and from Jesus’ unwavering clarity in the desert. One listened to the hiss of illusion; the other listened to the Word of God. The contrast is instructive.
So when those tempting “delights” show up in front of us, let’s name them honestly. Let’s remember the short-term sweetness and long-term bitterness they bring—and choose a better way. Let’s take authority over the lie, in our spirit first and then through our choices.
We are free to worship God. Free to love others with a clean heart. Free to experience His love toward us—and through us—as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7.
Don’t be drawn in by what only seems beneficial. Choose what truly is. ✨
With you,
~ Coach Tom
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