Introduction: Lies attacking ‘the good life’

What is the good life?

This is the question that has perplexed philosophers from ancient times and many, from all walks of life have speculated upon it. Here’s just a sampling:

It’s a good life, Hazel Grace. ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ― Albert Einstein

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. ― Allen Saunders

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. ― Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road’ll take you there. ― George Harrison

Get busy living or get busy dying. ― Stephen King, Different Seasons

The truth really is blowing in the wind – it’s everywhere. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Wisdom “calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares.” Like God Himself, we cannot escape truth if we tried. And so a recurring theme that we hear is that, at its heart, the good life is giving and receiving faithful love. Usually this is spoken of in terms of human love, but the problem with that is, human, faithful love has no foundation without God’s faithful covenant love for us. “We love him because he first loved us.” and “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

When the Pharisee asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment of the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart . . . for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:36–40.

When we allow the love of God to arrest us it changes us and teaches us to love him and others. Without this foundation of love, life becomes a cold drudgery. But where real love is present, joy and peace are not far behind — laughter becomes easier and contentment arises. Why? Because we’ve found what we are looking for. We have found what the sages, the prophets and the poets have long spoken of. When love is flowing, and our work has purpose and our life has meaning; we have found ‘The good life!’