For Christians, the good life never ends. Impact has helped me ground myself in the belief that God’s way to live is better than the world’s.
The world’s definition of the good life varies from time to time. The world says, “you do you”, “follow your heart” and “whatever makes you happy” is the path to a good life. These phrases have become an anthem in our culture. The world’s view of a good life is of internal happiness and external appearance. Partly it’s about self-fulfillment and getting anything you want while the other part is ensuring everyone believes you have it all together. Sadly, selfishness is at the root of this. A harsh reality in these anthems and attitudes is you can’t always live it out because there comes a time when it becomes too hard to keep up the charade.
God is the creator of all things, and he has given us his word to show us how to live. God never promises Christians that this life will be perfect or easy. If we think of Jesus and his disciples, we realize they all suffered while on this earth. Jesus even tells us to pick up our cross and follow him, so the good life is not about perfection or ease. God through his word and spirit give Christians a way to live that bring love, joy, peace, and other fruit of spirit no matter the season. These are attributes the world will never understand, or be able to have, because they flow from being with Jesus.
Since I have been at Impact, I have learned how to pursue the Lord with my whole being, my heart, mind, soul, and emotions. The more I learn about who God is the more I desire to know him and be with him, the Lord is slowly making me more like Him each day, the Lord has called me to be salt and light to this flavorless and dark world. To show the world there is a better way to live while on the Earth. One where our thoughts can look towards eternity. This is the good life.
Silas Hodge
Class XIX
Cleveland, Tennessee