Tried several times to ponder in the porch swing today but it was spitting rain every time I went out on the porch. The rain and wind have pulled the trees’ limbs and branches from their colorful cardigans and left them naked and cold. Penelope and I took a short walk in the drizzle looking at all the leafless trees, wondering if the old oaks were jealous of the glossy green overcoats of the regal magnolias. Nature is truly God’s artwork. The cardinals were out and about enjoying the light rain showers, frolicking around the sunflower seed feeders. Bet Mother Nature had a time with her watercolors as the sun set. The rain was too heavy to watch the pageant of sunset. I bet Father Sky was dressed in a jet black mackintosh with matching boots and bucket cap escorting the sun dressed in a bright yellow rubber ducky rain slicker, splashing down the horizon in her in orange rubber boots. I’m sorry I missed that!

I watched a movie this is afternoon. A few minutes before it was over the main character, a woman, was shot in the chest…I was sure she would die but she’s miraculously saved from the bullet in her heart lodged near her aorta. Hollywood has to have a happy ending, giving us an escape from our everyday reality. I remember being shocked when John Wayne died in True Grit. Everyone loves a happy ending. My friend in Florida says, “I wish that the authors would offer a choice of endings for their beautifully written love stories. I would always choose the happy ever after. Guess I’m a romantic at heart.”

The dictionary tells us a “happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which there is a positive outcome for the protagonist or protagonists.” Happy endings are emotionally satisfying and joyful. Happy endings give us hope and optimism that challenges in life can be overcome. Happy endings give us a sense of closure, allowing us to rid ourselves of negative emotion.

I think we are naturally inclined to seek positive endings because we want to believe that good will always triumph over evil. Ephesians 6:12 states, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Scripture in Matthew and Romans tells us that God wants us to love our enemies, to show kindness, to not repay evil with evil.

We all pray for a happy endings when life becomes difficult but not every story has a happy ending. Our earthly lives are full of suffering but our spiritual happy ending will be realized in heaven where earthly hardships will be no more. We, who follow God’s teaching, have our hope and our prayers to help us through life’s difficulties as God promises us joy and peace through his Holy Spirit.

I don’t think God owes us a happy ending to every story or an answer to every prayer request. God strengthens our faith when he says no to our prayer requests. We grow spiritually as we wait for his answers to our prayers. We have to believe that God knows best. The Bible is full of grief and unhappy endings. But, God has given us his promise to stand by us and help us weather the storms of life and the grief of unhappy endings. Deuteronomy 31:8 tells us, “The Lord himself goes before you, and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

We’re surrounded by God’s grace and love. God promises comfort and guidance and strength and promises his followers forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life. His promises are a source of hope and assurance that he’s always near. We are never alone when we have faith in God.

“If every story had a happy ending, then we’d have no reason to start again.” — Alice Feeney