Enjoy Your Happily Ever After but DON'T GET HAPPY!

I'm a sucker for Cinderella stories. I have been known to binge watch with one granddaughter in particular. My rationalization? "It's Biblical!" This might seem odd to you, but if you stop to think about it, the idea really does have merit!

There is a plethora of "Cinderella" stories in God's Word! There's the story of Joseph, who went from slavery to sovereignty. There's Daniel, a captured youth who, like Joseph, was placed in a position of importance in the very kingdom that enslaved him. There's Rahab, prostitute turned worshiper of the One True God who helped God's people in time of war and earned a slot in Jesus's genealogy. There's Esther, a humble Jewish maiden raised up to be queen and used as God's instrument of deliverance for His people. There's Ruth, a widowed Moabitess who ended up marrying a man of substance--and, like Rahab, found herself included in the genealogy of Jesus. And, of course, there's Jesus. The lowly carpenter turned Savior of mankind. Yup, I think Cinderella stories are pretty reflective of many narratives found in the Bible.

Only ... every Happily Ever After always comes with an "oopsie". To be our Savior, Jesus had to die a terrible, horrible death. That necessary but painful fact gave rise to a saying in Spanish, "El que se mete de salvador sale crucificado." Translated it means, He who would be a savior ends up crucified.

There's a lot of truth in that. Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but we need to be aware of what might come after we've reached our "Happily Every After". At some point down the road, the newly married couple will be pulled up short, their ecstatic state barely hanging on by the thread of disillusionment. The wildly wonderful new job eventually morphs into drudgery and sometimes even a painful position. The fact is, while we will definitely find oases in this life that fulfill our "Happily Ever After" dreams, the joy will slowly but surely hit bumps in the road.

Why? Well, like my Uncle Cheo, he who came up with the renowned and impenetrable Seawall Defense for his football team, coached his players, "Don't get happy!" Huh? Confusing, right?

That's why I asked him why in the world he would tell his players such a thing. "Because," he explained, "if they get too pumped up about a good play, a touchdown or something, they can lose focus. So they made a touchdown. Good. That's great. But they can't let the joy of it consume them to the point that they lose focus. Sure, victories can be enjoyed, but they need to be taken in stride. The game isn't over yet and losing focus opens them up to critical mistakes that might turn the tide against them."

Yes, it's a given that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), but because we still live in a fallen world, no matter what wonderful blessings we are given, we need to to be aware of our enemy's MO (modus operandi). When discussing the need to forgive, Paul wrote, "lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). Jesus Himself said we are to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). It is imperative that we realize that, as happy as a dream come true in our lives might be, we need to keep ourselves centered, aware that this victory is a black eye on our enemy and that he will look for a way to retaliate.

One grievous example is how the enemy attacked the church in the village to which my Grandmother was called to minister. After decades of constant prayer, endless visiting the people in the village, encouraging them in the Lord in season and out of season, there came a night when all Grandma Maria's dreams came true. She invited Auntie Trinie for a week of revival meetings and on the last night virtually every person in the village came to the little church and received Jesus as their Savior. I count it as one of the greatest privileges of my life to have been there to witness it. It was, in a word, glorious! But you know who didn't like that one bit.

Sure enough, not too long after, before a permanent pastor could be installed, a "widow" with a daughter came to the village to "minister". My grandmother lived stateside; she made visits to minister in the village but didn't reside there. This evil woman took advantage of that and came during one of Grandma's absences. She taught some untruths, milked the flock for all they were worth, and sowed seeds of impropriety of a sexual nature. Because my saintly grandmother was a widow, lived an irreproachable life, and had ministered to the members of that village faithfully throughout the years, giving selflessly of herself, the newly awakened-to-the-things-of-God young people were hoodwinked. Because the woman was a widow, like Grandma, they thought she too must be a valid minister like Grandma. Not!

After much turmoil and devastation in the newly revived church, grandma rolled in (well, walked--she never drove, she'd ride the bus that passed by the village, hop off, then walk the two kilometers from the highway to the village proper) and with God's help was able to put things to right spiritually. That was a painful way to learn that people need to be ready for snarky enemy attacks that will always, at some point in time, follow great seasons of joy.

But lucky you! Now you know all about the Cinderella stories God loves to bless His children with! They are good, they are fun, they are dreams come true--but they come with a caveat.

If you've been down and out, get ready! God has a wonderful Happily Ever After for you just down the pike ((Psalm 27:13)! God loves you and does want to bless you (Psalm 23:1). But when the fulfillment of that dream comes, remember Uncle Cheo's admonition, "Don't get happy!" Don't let that snarky enemy surprise you and steal your Happily Ever After! In the midst of your joy, keep your eye out for ornery enemy Number One. He will try to steal, kill, and destroy what God has given you (John 10:10). But if you are up on your Bible reading you will know what is right and what is not right in God's eyes. Even those newly saved young people in Grandma's village had enough Word in them to feel uncomfortable with the goings on and put the brakes on the evil even before Grandma came a-visiting. With God's Word in your hand and heart, no trickster will be able to make mincemeat out of you. You will be able to hang on to that wonderful Cinderella joy!

Now, in the spirit of transparency, there are times when I have had a lot of trouble hanging on to my joy. The enemy has come in like a flood and I have felt that I was all but drowned. But God! He, ever faithful, has provided two protective entities to carry me through when I need the most help.

First are the prayer warriors in my life in whom I can confide and who help me get my eyes where they should be, back on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). And, with God's help, I remain faithful to God's house even in the hard times, those times of pain when my flesh cries to stay home and just nurse the hurt. David said, "My foot standeth in an even place (a place in which I will not stumble or fall): in the congregations will I bless the Lord" (Psalm 26:12). There is just something about worshiping in a congregation that imparts spiritual strength. When I in myself have not had the strength to hang on to my joy--despite the wonderful Cinderella-esque milestones in my life--godly friends and the ministry of the church have helped keep me grounded and the enemy at bay. Through those two God-given instruments, I have been able to keep my Cinderella joy. And they are yours to wield also!

So ... enjoy your Happily Ever After when it comes, but, like the Jews rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (that was their Happily Ever After!) keep a sword (God's Word) handy, right at your side (Nehemiah 4:17). Keep that snarky enemy at bay and you'll be able to hang on to that wonderful God-given dream come true with all its joy!

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (Psalm 23:6).

"I will bless he Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved ... Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:7-8, 11 ).