Living My Best Life
Earlier
this week I was describing my turning twenty experience to my childhood best
friend. It involved a lot of alcohol and not a lot of memories. I was beating
myself up about it a little and I was feeling guilty that I let things get so
out of hand—that I let myself get out
of hand. She told me, “It’s okay, as long as you’re living your best life. You
had fun right, so don’t worry.”
That day,
nursing what has been the worst hangover of my life, I chose to allow her
comforting words to lull my guilty conscience. I was able to convince myself that
yes, I had fun. Yes, having fun means I was indeed living my best life.
Three days
later, with a clearer head and more importantly a heart filled with the Holy
Spirit, I have come to terms with the truth.
No. Plain
and simple: no, I was not living my best life.
Why? Well, there is one simple answer.
When
Jesus was carrying that cross after having been betrayed, beaten, ridiculed,
and spat upon, He was imagining my best life. He wanted to make sure I lead
that life, that I would have a chance of having that life. And so, He carried
on. He placed the weight of all my sin, past, present, and future. And He did
that for each and every single one of us. Because He wants us to live our best
lives.
What an
interesting phrase, live your best life. The best, by definition, means that
which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable. When most people hear
“the best life” they may think of a life full of material wealth, a successful
career, a stable family life, or whatever is the best to them.
Me, I don’t know what my best life looks like. I know my best
life doesn’t involve me throwing up because I had too much to drink and being bed
ridden for an entire day. It doesn’t involve lying to those I love. It doesn’t
involve being irresponsible and being consumed with guilt for all these
reasons.
I know it has Jesus Christ as my rock, as my center, as my
everything. I know it involves me finding joy in the good times and the bad
times. Most importantly, I know that no matter how many times I stop living my
best life, God will always be there to help me find my best life and live it again.
--
Now don’t think I have all the answers or that I’m perfect.
My 20th birthday is an excellent example of my imperfectness. Don’t
think that I am here judging anyone because I am the last person on earth who
could do that. I am here figuring out where I fall in those little blurred
lines that become controversial both in the Christian community and the “World”.
I am here simply trying to live my best life, figuring out
what that looks like as a daughter of Christ in the big bad world we live in. And
if I can help someone out along my journey, then perhaps that is
part of my purpose here on earth.
So here's to my twenties!
Cheers,
the girl in the pink converse
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