April 29, 2009
Happily Ever After
There is a thought process out there that we've all heard from childhood and it
ends with the idea that “They lived happily ever after.”
"Happily ever after" is a myth, a fairy tale, a lie that fails to take into
consideration reality. We deal with all kinds of issues in life and life is
seldom if ever fair. I don't know why that idea surprises people, it's been that
way ever since we got thrown out of the Garden of Eden, but there are many
people who still think life should always be easy.
The Bible doesn't tell us anywhere that life this side of glory will be fair or
easy. We live in a fallen world full of sinful people and while fair is a good
thing; it doesn't often work out that way. As for being easy, just because
something is easy doesn't mean it's the best. A full life isn't always an easy
life. Sometimes walking down the dirt roads and narrow trails is better for us
than speeding along the highway.
The Bible does teach us that there will be victory for believers in the
afterlife. Life for non-believers won't be so pretty afterwards. Someone once
said that this life is as close to heaven as a non-believer will ever get and as
close to hell as a believer will ever get.
Can we have hope and peace in this life despite the trials? Can we have joy in
the midst of sorrow and suffering?
The answer is a resounding yes! How can I say that? Let's look at what the Bible
teaches.
Jesus tells us we can have comfort in Him.
John 16:33 NIV
"I have told you these things, so that
in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I
have overcome the world."
The Apostle Paul expands on that theme.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NIV
Praise be to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings
of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort
overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of
the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know
that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Paul tells the church in Corinth that they have comfort through Jesus Christ. He
also tells us that our sufferings are not wasted when we find comfort in them
because we can also comfort others.
He doesn't tell them the troubles will all go away and everything will somehow
be nice and wonderful. He tells them there is comfort and purpose in their
suffering. We might not understand the reason we're going through what we face,
but we can know it's not for nothing.
We're not comforted to be made comfortable. God doesn't comfort us just so we
can have comfortable lives.
We are comforted so we can comfort others. God is more interested in our
character and the way we live our lives than in making us all happy and
comfortable in this life. There's plenty of time for that in eternity.
I don't mean we'll never have happiness here, for we often do. I simply mean
that God has bigger things in store for us. He'd rather see us be emotionally
and spiritually strong than simply have some transitory moments of superficial
happiness and comfort.
Life might be happily ever after, but we can have joy, hope and peace in the
midst of it all through Christ.
Until next time, praise Him for all He brings us.
Blessings to you and yours,
Darrel Mason