I saw a post online with the trend that says ” ‘You look happier’ Thanks – I ______” and it ended with “Thanks – the characters got their happily ever after.”

HEA = Happily Ever After

When was the last time you read a book that didn’t end with a happily ever after for the main characters? I can’t remember when for myself! I only read happy (overall) romcoms (fiction wise) and it’s not interesting to me to read a book that ends with unhappy characters, or the problem(s) not resolved. The exception would be a continuing book series from authors like Terri Blackstock or Colleen Coble. The happily ever after comes at the end of the series rather than the end of the individual book.

Why do we read what we read? I like the knowledge and expectation that when I pick up a book from my shelf, I have a guarantee – I know that the problems and characters I get invested in even for a few hours will have a resolution and it’s tied up with a bow (basically 🙂 ).

In the story of your life, maybe it feels like your happily ever after has a fault in it – a big plot hole. Like the creator of your story just forgot to get you where you needed to be. Doesn’t He care about His characters? How can a happily ever after come through in this?

The Word of God is a big book full of hope and a guaranteed happily ever after for all of Christ’s followers. Our Creator God is just, loving and perfect. In all He does, He expresses all of His attributes! The perfect main character, right???

When I discovered this, that the Bible is a love story to the church and how far our God goes to love us, it changed my view of the Bible. When I learned it, I was already on a journey to read it more, but that opened my eyes to read it and see how God was working.

Like any good love story, there’s a build up to the love story blossoming. All through Scripture, the love story between Christ and the Church has built up and the wedding ceremony is finally revealed in Revelation.

When we struggle, we reach for things to distract us or bring joy to our lives. On an honest note, for me that’s fiction because I can deep dive into someone else’s life rather than my own. We seek the happily ever after – at least I do, I’m just speaking of my own experience here.

One of the most encouraging things is reaching for His truth and the HEA He offers us daily.

By putting your faith in Jesus Christ – His deity and humanity through His virgin birth, His reason for coming in the first place, dying on the cross for our sins and raising to life on the 3rd day – you are going to partake in that HEA foretold in Revelation. When that day comes, (and we know it will because God hasn’t and never will let us down), it will be the biggest celebration and the perfect resolution to all we’ve gone through on earth. Every plot twist we endured and the heartbreaks we encountered will be worth it.

If you’re struggling this week, I obviously will recommend a good book to get you out of your slump 🙂

But I will also encourage you in this way…

• Let your first “reach” be to His Word and not the world. The world will try to take you away from Him by feeding you a false truth or a self-serving suggestion.
• The suffering in this life is temporary. Look ahead to what is promised with today’s actions in mind. What can you do today to have a positive impact today and tomorrow?
• Joy can still be found in suffering. Hold onto the One who provides it.
• The Author of your story already has your happy ending written. Don’t lose hope in what’s promised.

Have a great week!