What has God done in your life that has exceeded anything you had seen, heard or imagined?
“He has blessed me with a wonderful husband with a great extended family, a wonderful son, a nice house, parents who are both healthy, and many good friends.”
Read Isaiah 61:1-3, and fill in the blanks: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… he has sent me… to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness, instead of “mourning”, and a garment of “praise”, instead of “a spirit of despair”.”
“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.”
Can you think of a time when you were convinced you would never experience gladness again – but because of Christ you did?
“Thankfully, no – not yet.”
Read John 13:3-17. What result did Christ guarantee if His followers put into practice what He demonstrated to them (v. 17)?
“We will be blessed.”
Can you think of a time when you sensed the fullness and favor of God but would not characterize the time as happy?
“I know I have on several occasions, when He has comforted me in the midst of a loss or a disappointment, but no specific one comes to mind at present.”
Read John 15:1-11. What result did Christ assure His disciples if they obeyed Him and continue to abide in His love (v. 11)? “joy”
What is the difference between happiness and joy?
“You can still experience joy in the midst of unhappy and difficult times.”
Biblical joy can come from the sheer awareness of the grace of God.
Happiness is inappropriate when it’s our goal, but it’s not inappropriate when it’s God’s momentary gift.
Share a recent example of a moment of happiness.
“I tend to be happiest when I’m playing a game, so: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Monday playing Quiddler, Tuesday, playing Upwords, and Tuesday playing Apples to Apples.”
So, what are we to do when we feel happy according to James 5:13? “Sing songs of praise!”
What is the invitation in Matthew 25:21?
“Come and share your master’s happiness.”
Dearest Rachel –
I’ve pointed this out before, but without a frame of reference, those of us left on this side of the veil can’t really grasp what ‘happily ever after,’ in terms of an eternity in heaven, is like. Oh, we have the vague ideas of what the concept looks like here on earth, inculcated into us by the likes of the Brothers Grimm and other fabulists, and while deep down, we know those are permanent situations, they’re as close as we can picture for ourselves for now.
It’s gratifying to see that you saw yourself as being within one of those earthly ‘happily ever after’ situations when you put together the answers to this particular study. Even more so that, while we aren’t name-checked explicitly, it’s clear that Daniel and I (and my folks and yours) contributed to this sense you had of being there.
But of course, this couldn’t last; nothing ever does on this side. Your folks had to leave, one after the other, and while that freed us (myself in particular) up to enjoy our lives in different ways, it left a hole in your own heart that wasn’t remedied until you were able to join them on the other side – assuming they had both made it over there; I don’t know what it would be like to expect someone in heaven and not find them. There’s supposed to be no sadness there, but if someone you love didn’t make it, what’s to be felt about that? And let’s not forget that you presumably have to wait for the rest of us to catch up with you, and that may take some time yet. So, do we ever get to a perfect state of ‘happily ever after’? I’m probably not going to have an answer to that until I join you (at the very least).
The story that this particular week’s series of studies feels familiar, in a way; it’s actually what happened to Aunt Belva some years before you left (indeed, it may have been before you worked on this story, if memory serves), where she ‘went home’ after everyone else did, after her 97th birthday party. It isn’t something that you experienced – or, of course, ever will. Apart from a few exceptionally rare cases, we all only get to leave this world once, and we seldom get the opportunity to do so in such a poetic fashion.
But I do wonder if, as your body lay in the snow as the EMTs attempted to revive you, whether you saw Another standing there, offering His hand for you to take, and saying likewise, “Arise, My darling, My beautiful, one, and come with Me. See! ‘The winter is past; the rains are over and gone… the season of singing has come.’”
I do hope you’re enjoying your ‘happily ever after,’ and hope you can save a spot for me one day. But until then, keep an eye on me, and wish me luck. I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 