Can Christians have their best life now?

TL;DR:

Many pursue their "best life now," believing that wealth and success lead to happiness. In contrast, Christians understand that even the best experiences on earth pale in comparison to the joy and fulfillment of eternal life in heaven.

what does the bible say?

Many people seek to live what has been called their "best life now." Many believe that wealth and success are the way to do this—the way to happiness. There is no doubt that the non-Christian lives his best life in the here and now because for those without Christ, the next life is one of no hope, no joy, no meaning, no satisfaction, and no relief from eternal suffering. According to the Bible, those who have rejected Jesus Christ will spend an eternity in "outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28 [NIV]). Therefore, seeking to enjoy their best life while they can is all they can do because the next life will be truly dreadful. For the Christian, life here, no matter how good it is, is nothing compared to the life that awaits us in heaven.

from the old testament

The Scriptures describe life on this earth as filled with difficulties: "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7).

from the new testament

Other passages reveal that life is full of trials, persecutions, and difficulties: "all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12); "count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2). The Lord never promised health, wealth, or success in this life.
The idea that we can have our best life in a creation that groans in the "bondage to corruption" (Romans 8:20–23) is an impossible illusion. Such an idea encourages people to decide for themselves what will constitute their best lives and then blame or reject God when He doesn't deliver.
The glories of heaven—eternal life, righteousness, joy, peace, perfection, God's presence, Christ's glorious companionship, rewards, and all else God has planned—is the Christian's heavenly inheritance (1 Peter 1:3–5), and it will cause even the best life on earth to pale in comparison.

implications for today

We have only to look at the lives of the Lord Jesus, the apostles, and the early Christian martyrs to know that the "best life now" philosophy is untrue. Jesus was never wealthy, and those who followed Him were mostly poor. He didn't even have a place to lay His head (Luke 9:58). Paul says, "Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure" (2 Corinthians 11:24–27). Paul was not living his best life on this earth. He wasn't looking for his best life now; he was waiting for his best life in the future (Philippians 1:21). Peter said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" for all who are in Christ (1 Peter 1:3–4). Even the richest, most successful person on earth will eventually age, sicken, and die, and his wealth cannot prevent it. But Christians have hope in the knowledge that after death will come our best, and eternal, life. Our lives on earth are filled with hope. The best is yet to come.

understand

Christians find true happiness in faith, not wealth, as earthly life is temporary and fraught with challenges.
The "best life now" philosophy contradicts Scripture, which emphasizes the eternal joy awaiting believers in heaven.
Suffering is part of life on earth, even for Christians.

reflect

How do you prioritize your spiritual life over the pursuit of material success and happiness?
How does understanding the temporary nature of earthly life impact how you face challenges and difficulties?
How does the hope of eternal life shape your perspective on current struggles or suffering?

engage

The early Christian martyrs, who were hanged, burned at the stake, beheaded, and boiled in oil for their faith and their faithfulness to Christ, were those who gladly suffered for the Savior they adored. Did they die these excruciating deaths because they were unaware that they could experience their best lives now—if only they pursued wealth and a healthy self-image? No, they patiently endured this life, "waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). The next life is where they finally found their best life, not this "mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:14).
How do the lives of Jesus and the apostles challenge the notion of having our "best life now"?
How can we make the most of our lives here now, knowing that for the Christian, their best life is to come?