I received a letter earlier this year from a former student. She was turning 21, and since she was convinced that I was "living the good life," she wanted me to send her some advice on how to live such a life. That phrase caught me by surprise: am I living the good life? Than what is that--what is the "good life?" The world, of course, would define the good life as being trouble free. The good life would mean that they had all the resources they needed to be financially secure and able to buy whatever they needed or wanted at any time.
But that is not how Jesus defined the good life. He said, "Don't lay up for yourself treasures on earth--moth and rust will take care of them " The man or woman who loves riches will live a life saturated with self-inflicted sorrow and pain. He said, "Rejoice and be glad when people persecute you because of me." James told us, "Don't be surprised by the fiery trials that come your way--all sorts of them. Count it all joy!"
How then do I live the good life Jesus promises me? The first thing I must do--and if I don't do it the good life is impossible--is make my relationship with Him my number one priority. I must make His heart the one heart I do not want to ever grieve or hurt. Then, when the trials come--and He gives me silence as an answer to my prayers--I must remain steadfastly confident that He loves me and that He is going to use the trials to glorify Himself through me. In fact, the trial itself is proof that He loves me--not that He doesn't. Next, when the answer to that prayer finally comes, I must surrender to His answer down on my knees in submission to His will. And finally, when He uses the answer to glorify Himself--make His presence and nature known to those around me--I must respond in absolute devotion to His love for me--sacrificing my best to demonstrate to the world that His heart is the one heart that I adore above all others.
But that is not how Jesus defined the good life. He said, "Don't lay up for yourself treasures on earth--moth and rust will take care of them " The man or woman who loves riches will live a life saturated with self-inflicted sorrow and pain. He said, "Rejoice and be glad when people persecute you because of me." James told us, "Don't be surprised by the fiery trials that come your way--all sorts of them. Count it all joy!"
How then do I live the good life Jesus promises me? The first thing I must do--and if I don't do it the good life is impossible--is make my relationship with Him my number one priority. I must make His heart the one heart I do not want to ever grieve or hurt. Then, when the trials come--and He gives me silence as an answer to my prayers--I must remain steadfastly confident that He loves me and that He is going to use the trials to glorify Himself through me. In fact, the trial itself is proof that He loves me--not that He doesn't. Next, when the answer to that prayer finally comes, I must surrender to His answer down on my knees in submission to His will. And finally, when He uses the answer to glorify Himself--make His presence and nature known to those around me--I must respond in absolute devotion to His love for me--sacrificing my best to demonstrate to the world that His heart is the one heart that I adore above all others.
And what are the gifts He gives to the one living the good life?
A deeper and deeper understanding of who He is.
A deep understanding of His love for me and His perfect will in the worst of circumstances.
Deep relationships with others who are seeking to embrace the good life found in Jesus.
The salvation of those who I have been telling about Jesus' great love--when they see His work in my life--how rich I truly am in Him--they will believe that He is everything I've been telling them that He is. And place their trust in Him.
The criticism of those who don't want the good life, or who are too afraid of what it will cost them to embrace it, or who love themselves more than they love Him, or who are the enemy of the cross.
A deep understanding of His love for me and His perfect will in the worst of circumstances.
Deep relationships with others who are seeking to embrace the good life found in Jesus.
The salvation of those who I have been telling about Jesus' great love--when they see His work in my life--how rich I truly am in Him--they will believe that He is everything I've been telling them that He is. And place their trust in Him.
The criticism of those who don't want the good life, or who are too afraid of what it will cost them to embrace it, or who love themselves more than they love Him, or who are the enemy of the cross.
"Take the world, but give me Jesus."--the only good life.
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