When I was a child, I liked stories that ended with “And they lived happily ever after” perhaps because I wanted to believe in fairy tale endings. They didn’t mention anything about health problems, personal and financial struggles, or death. It may have been because I wanted to escape my own real-life dramas or was hoping things would all work out in the end.
I’m not sure when I realized my life wasn’t going so well. Maybe it was one of the times my mother was admitted to the hospital and my brothers, and I went to stay with my grandmother. I liked staying at Granny’s so that probably wasn’t it. Eventually my dad would get Mom out of the hospital and take us to live in another place, which I also liked. Dad always seemed to have big plans that never worked out. My parents would start arguing, then Mom would get sick, and we would end up at Granny’s again.
I was a teenager when my parents finally divorced, and my dad left us. I guess I realized there wouldn’t be a happy ending to our family story when Mom got sick again, was admitted to the hospital and my brothers and I were taken to live with strangers. Instead of my dad coming to get us and making big plans, we had a Social Worker who didn’t seem comfortable with kids. My brothers and I were eventually split up and sent to live with different families. Life wasn’t working out like it did in fairy tales.
Despite our troubles, I can look back and see GOD’s hand in our lives. We were fed, clothed, and cared for until we were able to care for ourselves. One of our foster-parent families pastored a Church and trained three of us boys up “in the way we should go” (Prov 22:6). I wound up living with friends of my parents, I learned how to work, and was raised in Church. No, my life wasn’t perfect, and neither was I. I graduated High School and joined the Air Force, which led to a 23-year career and meeting my wife in the Philippines. I realized a “happily ever after” life is only be found in JESUS, so my wife and I started our life together with GOD. 44 years later we are still together with GOD. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been better with JESUS and the hope that He gave us. That’s where I find my joy until we make it to “happily ever after.”
So where is this “happily ever after” we are looking for? It certainly isn’t here! JESUS said, told us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 KJV). Ok, that is JESUS, but how do we get ours? When you repent of your sins, accept JESUS as LORD, and Savior and walk in obedience to Him. But JESUS said that doesn’t stop the trouble! Yes, but He will give you “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Phil 4:7 KJV) now and “eternal life” (John 3:16 KJV) in Heaven when you die. Why do I have to wait to die to live? Because “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21 KJV). You won’t really mind the death part when you hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Mar 25:21 KJV) and you begin your “happily ever after” life that will never end!
Wayne Lance (2023) – That’s Good News to Share!