What Is The Good Life?

Let me ask you a question; how would you define “The Good Life?” All my life I have heard this phrase kicked around. As a culture, we believe that everyone deserves to have a shot at “The Good Life.” Parents want their children to have “The Good Life,” even if they themselves have not reached it. We debate public policy, elect and fire political representatives, relocate our families, and change careers, all in pursuit of “The Good Life.” Sometimes we call it “The American Dream.” Or is “The American Dream” just one part of “The Good Life?”

OK, Enough with the quotes and capital letters, I think you get the idea. There is really nothing wrong with wanting to live a long and satisfying life. Actually that is a part of what the Bible calls the blessing of God. There is nothing wrong with trying to create a society where every individual has an equal opportunity to succeed, as long as we don’t confuse that with trying to mandate equal outcomes in life for all people–to do that you invariably have to take away freedom. And certainly, all good parents want their children to have it better than they did. The real question is, in your own thinking, what constitutes “The Good Life” (yeah I know, but the quotes were really important right there).

Many people in our society would define “You Know What” in purely material or financial terms. Some would say that being financially well off is good, but would add being healthy to the mix. Some might point to holding a respected position in their community or company, some might think in terms of relationships, some in terms of happiness. While none of those things are wrong in and of themselves, I think they still miss the mark because they essentially leave God and His Kingdom out of the equation. I am convinced that not only do God and a growing relationship with Him have to be a part of a definition of the good life but, they are the central, indispensable, undisputable core of the good life.

The reality is that we are spiritual beings created in God’s image, and created with the need to know Him personally and intimately. We were literally designed to interact with God, to worship and glorify God, and to reflect His nature on earth. Only in that capacity do we find true joy and fulfillment. Most of the people who read this blog are Christians, and therefore probably find little to disagree with in that statement. But, what I have come to realize is that many of us are still viewing God and spiritual growth as add-ons to our lives, instead of these things being the core reasons for living.

Another way to look at this is, many Americans would in one way or another define the good life as comfort and satisfaction coupled with the avoidance of trouble, difficulty, and pain. We live our lives seeking to avoid anything that would challenge us, demand that we change our attitudes and lifestyle, produce conflict, or put us in a negative light in the eyes of our peers.

But, if we are really going to live our lives with God, spiritual growth, and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, as our core motivating factors, we are NOT going to be able to be comfortable all the time. We will inevitably have to do some spiritual warfare; most of it revolving around the deep and dynamic changes that God wants to bring to our old ways of thinking and behaving. We will be confronted inwardly and outwardly with change. Much of our lives will be marked by self-sacrifice in terms of how we spend our time, energy and money. We will certainly not be able to play the political correctness game that is such a part of maintaining any sense of popularity in this society. At times our message, and we ourselves, will be rejected and possibly persecuted for our beliefs.

Now, along with those negatives, we will experience the blessing of God, the power of His presence, and the satisfaction that only comes through fulfilling His will in our lives. Yes we will be blessed beyond measure, and our lives will count for something eternal. This is good stuff, but maybe we need to rethink our definition of “The Good Life.” We must realize that some of the challenges we face are simply a part of the process of spiritual growth and living for God that we value so much. Therefore, are they not a part of “The Real Good Life?”

I want to live “The Good Life” as defined by Jesus Christ. And, I want what I do with my life to pave the way for future generations to find and live that good life better, faster, and more deeply than I do. How about you?