In this letter Screwtape discusses how the desire for change can be misdirected into a craving for novelty and excitement. How relevant is this today? How often do we hear our children say "we're bored!" How often do we think we're being cheated if life isn't fun enough?
I learned a valuable lesson when I was first married. When my husband and I were dating we went out a lot. Then we got married, and the reality set in. He worked a lot and was tired. He wanted to be home and relax. I wondered where all the fun went. I'll never forget his telling me that we didn't need to go out all the time, that sometimes doing the same ol thing everyday was OK. Shocked, I slowly learned to love home and thrive on a routine. I've let go of the need for constant entertainment. I have peace.
Here are some questions from the reading.
What does God balance change with? (a love of permanence)
What type of change does God give us? (change of seasons, change of celebrations in the church calendar)
How has the devil twisted the pleasure of change? (He's made it a craving for novelty, the more novelty you have the more you want. Soon the novelty becomes less and less pleasurable. Kind of like a drug).
How does this letter tie into the letter written about fashion?
How can the desire for novelty distract us?
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