Few are those who suffer no pains in this life. Only a few reach old age without losing their peace of mind or their health. Most of us can agree with Job’s sober observation that “The life of man upon earth is a pain” (Job 7:1). Children begin life knowing nothing and unable to do anything and must be forced to learn their letters or a trade. We begin life by crying, not laughing, and that is a prophecy of how the rest of life shall be.

—City of God 21.24

We should not interpret Augustine’s bleak outlook on life as a command for us to be gloomy and pessimistic. Instead, Augustine’s point was to remind us that we had best not put our ultimate hope and trust in the things of this world because we will be ultimately disappointed if we do. No, there is a better life waiting for those of us who put our hope in Christ. So we must live our life with hope and optimism in this world, even when we are up to our eyeballs in alligators. Doing so is the best indicator of the nature and quality of our faith in Christ.