While in lockdown, during the world Corvid 19 pandemic, as winter approached, I found my feet were in my slippers more than shoes. I found myself wanting to buy a new pair shoes for no other reason than to glue my slippers to the heels to give myself the height that slippers don’t.
While I was thinking about new shoes, and how uncomfortable they can be to start with, I remembered that Queen Elizabeth has a staff member who wears her new shoes for a period of time before she has to wear them, in order to ‘break them in’ so they won’t hurt the Queen’s feet during formal engagements.
At the same time, I was thinking about the different stages of life how, just like new shoes, feeling a little uncomfortable as we learn new strategies, skills, and get stretched emotionally for a while, is common. We just master one stage when we find ourselves in another in a new one and we have to start all over again.
Most stories, from the fairy tales we read as children, to the novels read as adults, generally end with a version of ‘and they lived happily ever after’. We are conditioned to believe that in real life we should get to a certain point in life and ‘happy ever after’ kicks in. Life stops being a struggle and we find that, when it doesn’t come, we should try to make it happen.
Our happily ever after will come, if, while we are here on earth, we have a relationship with Jesus. He helps us navigate the tough times here and will make sure of our entry to Heaven.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:16.
Life will always be a little uncomfortable here on earth but our happy ever after awaits us in Heaven.