God Doesn't Care if You Get Ice Cream

Lately, I find myself asking God if I should go somewhere or get something that I often don’t really need but want – like ice cream.

A few days ago, I agonized over the decision to go to a local ice cream shop and get myself a scoop of chocolate ice cream. I logically reasoned with God as to why I should go…

It will support a local business.
It’s nice outside and sunny today…ice cream would add to this perfect day.
I’ll get vegan ice cream so it will still be healthy.
I could afford to gain a couple pounds.
I exercised today.
I haven’t had ice cream in weeks.

I could hear God laughing at my absurdity. Getting ice cream is definitely not a critical discernment question.

But from my lens, I want to please God and do the right thing, and if God doesn’t want me to get ice cream, I won’t get it. Naturally, God said yes, go ahead, and I ended up going and certainly enjoyed it!

A couple days later, I attended a Catholic young adult event and a young priest talked about how he was recently on a silent retreat and at one point, really wanted to go to a fast food restaurant. He too, agonized over this decision. He even sought advice from His spiritual director.

Eventually he heard God say in a quiet whisper, “I don’t care if you go to _____. Just make sure I go with you.”

We really miss the point sometimes, don’t we?

God probably doesn’t care if you get ice cream, fast food, or anything else you desire for that matter, unless it is truly harming your relationship with Him or feeding an empty hole that only He can fill. What He does care about is loving you and always being present in your life – even at the ice cream parlor.

So go have ice cream with God and enjoy His company. That’s what He’s really after: spending time with His daughters and sons.