The Good Life
We're all searching for it—the good life. But what does that really mean?
According to the dictionary, the good life is "the kind of life that people with a lot of money are able to have. A life of luxury, pleasure, and comfort."
Sounds appealing, right? Many also describe it as pursuing your goals and following your dreams. Put these together and you get: The good life is a life of luxury, pleasure, and comfort that comes from pursuing and accomplishing your goals and dreams.
Through hard work, dedication, and perseverance, we achieve our dreams and get to enjoy comfort and success. That's the formula we've been sold.
When Success Isn't Enough
Plenty of people have achieved this version of the good life. But what do they say about it?
Jim Carrey, who rose from poverty and homelessness to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, said:
"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."
He's not alone. After watching a video on social media, I heard these sobering reflections from others who "made it":
"I made it. I did it. I accomplished my dreams. I had money and fame…but there was no joy."
"I was a millionaire. I had beautiful women in my life, a house, cars, an incredible career, and yet on a daily basis, I wanted to end my life."
"I'm doing everything I had dreamt of doing for 30 years. It all came true, and I'm the least happy I've ever been in my life."
"I'm always depressed. All the time. I thought that success was all I needed…that it was going to bring the happiness. Buying my mom a house…the fame, the accolades…having people say, 'Oh you are the best in the game.' I thought those things would bring me happiness and then when those things came, the happiness wasn't there."
Clearly, accomplishing dreams and living in luxury doesn't guarantee the good life.
The "If I Could Just..." Trap
Maybe those celebrities were aiming too high? Perhaps we just need more modest goals:
If I could just make varsity...
If I could just find a spouse...
If I could just get 1000 followers...
If I could just travel some...
If I could just become a parent...
If I could just enjoy my hobbies...
But here's the honest truth: even when we reach these milestones, it's never quite enough. There's always something more to chase. The good life always seems just out of reach.
Why? Because we're looking in the wrong place.
Life in Christ
Scripture reveals something radically different about the good life. Jesus Himself addressed this in John 10:10:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
Jesus came to give us the good life—abundant life. But what does that mean?
Jesus clarifies in other passages:
"I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)
The good life isn't found in achievements, hobbies, or experiences. The good life is found in a Person—Jesus Christ Himself.
When Jesus promised abundant life, He meant Himself. He told His disciples He would send the Holy Spirit to live not just with them but in them. When we put our faith in Jesus for salvation, He comes to dwell within us. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, he no longer lived, but Christ lived in him.
The same happens to every believer. Jesus gives us Himself—He gives us the good life.
Satan's Counterfeit
Notice in John 10:10 that Satan's purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. He doesn't want you to experience the real good life, so he peddles a counterfeit. He convinces us that fulfillment is found in fame, success, luxury, comfort, achievements, or experiences.
His strategy? Keep us thinking, "If I could just get here," or "If I could just have that," or "If I could just do this, then I'll have the good life."
But it's a lie. As 1 John 5:12 puts it plainly:
"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."
If you have put your faith in Jesus, you already have the good life. Don't let Satan keep you chasing after something you already possess in Christ.
The good life begins with a personal relationship with Jesus. It's found in union with Him, resting in who He is and what He's done for us.
Life with Others
Life in Christ naturally leads to life together with other believers. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:
"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit."
We're all connected to Christ as our head, which means we're deeply connected to each other through the Holy Spirit. As Charles Spurgeon said:
"Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God's people."
The good life in Christ includes safe, authentic, vulnerable relationships with other believers where we carry out the "one another" commands of Scripture and build each other up.
Life Expressed
But there is one more thing we need to look at because not only will our Good Life in Christ lead to a life together with others, but it will also lead to a life where He expresses His life through us.
In John 15:5, Jesus says:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
As branches, we're receivers of life from the vine. Jesus produces fruit through us as we remain connected to Him. He expresses Himself through us to a lost and dying world—at school, work, in our families, neighborhoods, and communities.
This includes the unique way He's designed you—your passions, gifts, and abilities. Yes, this can even include pursuing dreams and goals, even success and financial provision. The difference is why and how we pursue them. When we rest in Jesus as our good life and allow Him to work through us, our achievements become a blessing to others and bring glory to God rather than serving as empty attempts to find fulfillment.
Questions for Reflection
Do you have life in Christ? Have you put your faith in Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Lord and Savior? If not, that's your first step.
Are you chasing after what you already have? If you're a believer, are you still trying to find the good life in accomplishments and experiences? Maybe God is calling you today to stop pursuing life in other things and rest in the life you already have in Him. You have abundant life no matter your circumstances.
Are you doing life with other believers? Is Jesus leading you into authentic, vulnerable relationships within the church? Life in Christ leads to life with others.
How is Jesus wanting to express His life through you? Where is He calling you to make a difference—your school, workplace, neighborhood, through local missions or mission trips? Ask Him, be open to His leading, and trust Him to work through you.
Experience the Good Life Today
The good life isn't waiting somewhere in your future, dependent on achieving the next goal or reaching the next milestone. If you're in Christ, you have it right now.
Experience the good life by:
Resting in Jesus as your life
Allowing Him to lead you into authentic relationships with other believers
Making yourself available for Him to express His life through you as part of His Kingdom work in this world
That's the good life—not a destination to reach, but a Person to know and a life to live together with Him and His people.
