Q: What's your next high?

A: Well as much as I would love to read all your minds, I have no idea what your next "high" is...  but I know you have one.

Last week, a very unfortunate event happened on Taylor University's campus. A student died in his room with the door locked. At first, it was thought to be suicide, but it was later discovered to be accidental. The details of the "accident" are too disturbing to announce to the public (even though the news did anyway), but they do lead me to the question I ask you: What is your next high? This student was searching for something better than the last thing. The next thrill. I can relate with him because I am searching for "next highs" in my life as well. Once you start something that is fun, thrilling, or pleasurable, you naturally desire it more. Why do you think twitter was made? Because people were bored with FB and wanted their next social media high. Businesses strive to achieve "the next best thing" because they know that society craves the thrill of something more or better than the last thing.

Sin in our lives is often "fun", according to the world's standards, and once we have a little fun... we want more fun. In the Taylor University Student's life, his sin/fun lead to his death. And all of our sin leads to our death as well (Romans 6:23). Even if sin isn't the exact biological cause of our death, it is the spiritual cause. My heart breaks for him and his family, but I believe that God is using His Story to remind us that we need a Savior. That we are all caught up in sin/pleasure/thrill and we will continue to run after our next pleasurable high unless we believe in Jesus Christ and run after Him instead.

Sometimes I have seen people misunderstand other people that live conservative lives. And I have misunderstood them as well. But I believe that people with conservative lifestyles are the most aware of human's sinful nature. They know that sin is a slippery slope and they want to avoid it as much as they can. I respect their commitment to stay as far away from it as they can, because it will tempt you to desire more, even if you dabble a little in it. We are EASILY entangled in sin (Hebrews 12:1). It's not hard to fall into temptation. It's hard to fight against it. But fighting against sin is not what will save you. Fighting against it will just give you a life that is more joyful and more in accordance with God's design for us...  ONLY Jesus can save you.

Good News: The Student at TU may have died while looking for the "next sinful high" but his family and friends testify that he was a Christian who believed that Jesus Christ died to pay for his sins and therefore that student is eternally living with our heavenly Father in Heaven right now. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Jesus Christ needs to be our next high. We can't be fulfilled by worldly pleasures and the only truly satisfying high for all of eternity is Jesus Christ. I hope and pray he is my "next high" that I am searching for everyday.