Life is good.

11 April 2010

For a long time now, I've admired a set of clothing that has cute little stick-figure people on it. The phrase that goes along with the lackadaisical drawings says, "life is good." They make me smile, and wish that I could adapt this truth by wearing such fun adornments. Maybe simply wearing the clothing would make everything better! (Once I even wandered through downtown Holland, looking for a bargain on such clothing. However, since my idea of a bargain is a $4 shirt, I decided I'd have to find a different way to make my life "smiley" good.)

But today, in light of recent conversations I've had here with friends, I'm realizing I’d like to change this common, popular phrase. Don't get me wrong - it sounds like a great idea. And as we grin and bear it, and wear our cute hats and shirts, we wish and plead that this is true. But sometimes, life just isn’t good. It’s hard; it’s a rocky up-and-down path. And we get beat up and broken along the way.

But GOD is good, and no matter what the circumstances of life might bring us, that is one thing that will never change. :)

At a recent conference, we discussed how someone’s logic and reasoning and ideas can be solid and sensical all throughout, but if their basic, foundational premise that they started off with is not true, then neither will be their outcome. I love the idea that life is good, and that we could somehow change our attitude to the place where this really is true. That if we just have the right perspective, if we just meet the world with our ¾ full cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and a smile, then everything really will be alright.

But I’m finding that, no matter what our attitude might look like, the foundation of the argument still isn’t good. Amazing people are still going to get sick, life still won’t be fair, and students will still find it easier to fall asleep in a hot, muggy classroom than to pay attention to their teacher, no matter how interesting the content and presentation might be. :) The good will struggle and the bad will prosper. Living righteously will not always bring the rewards of what we want in this world.

I’m all about keeping a positive attitude. In fact, many of you know that being positive is one of the four rules in my classroom. But at the same time, I don’t want to base my attitude on a fleeting phrase that won’t stand the test of time. Life isn’t always going to be good. In fact, it’s pretty much guaranteed NOT to be good, since Adam and Eve first took that bite of sin. We want what we don’t need, and we’re jealous of others who have what we “want.”

“Life is good.” I wonder if we’re simply lying to ourselves along the way. Even if the logic is good, the foundational premise isn’t. I tell my students to CHOOSE to be excited about what we’re learning, or at least to decide to do the best they can. I encourage them not to say “I hate math,” because in the long run, this isn’t going to help them learn. Similarly, I guess we shouldn’t say “I hate life.” But at the same time, I don’t expect my students to love math right away, either. I just want them to say, “Ok, this isn’t what I want to do… but I’m going to try to have fun and do the best I can.” With life, it’s kind of the same. I certainly don’t hate life – although sometimes it’s not the easiest thing to live in a fallen world with fallible creatures, including myself! And I certainly can’t say I am miserable; not at all. I thank God for the ways He has provided for me, given me a new perspective so many times and taught me that life isn’t forever – that we are to enjoy every minute as if it is our last and live in joyful recognition of Him.

But GOD is the One who will forever be good. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever… and this unchanging foundation is one I can place my trust in. I don’t have to lie to myself when I say “God is good,” even when the world around me is terrible. When life gets tough, it’s difficult, sometimes, but not impossible to acknowledge that God is still good. And since it is an undeniable Truth, spoken from the mouth of God, I can in all honesty set myself to the task of relying on this fact in a world that is constantly changing and moving and “reforming” what “truth” really is… “if there is a truth!” as some people would say. And it’s good to realize that when everything goes wrong, there is a Solid Foundation on which I can stand that will never change, that will always be “good,” that will be sufficient for my every need.

God is good. And even when life is not, I’m glad He’s willing to patiently take me along with Him on this journey, teaching me to trust in Him more and more with each passing day.