Alternate Endings

I have always loved to read. As a kid I would get so drawn into the stories I read that life on this planet would pretty much stop until I finished a good book. My favorites at one point were the books with the different possible endings. You could jump to different pages at different points and the story would take an alternate route to a much different conclusion. It was so fun to imagine how things would turn out differently if circumstances changed.

This last week I found myself wishing for an optional alternate ending in life. Do you ever do that? Last week just did not go how I pictured it would. . . We had made plans for a Thanksgiving trip with some friends, and I was anticipating a fun-filled, relaxing, delicious few days at a beautiful condo in the Wisconsin Dells. The plan was foiled when my son, Caleb, woke up the first night with the stomach flu.

That was not what I had planned. I didn't expect to be laying in bed on Thanksgiving (having come down with the flu myself) while everyone else was eating beef tenderloin and mashed potatoes. Now, I don't want to be too over dramatic here - there were still some really fabulous moments of fellowship and fun with my kids and our friends. . . But if I'm being totally honest, I was disappointed because I had such grandiose visions for how last week would go. And in reality, it just didn't stack up.

Its hard when things don't go our way. I was definitely disappointed, and my natural temptation was to ask God, "Why?" That question becomes even more consuming when it deals with life's bigger issues. It is one thing for our vacation to be tainted by the presence of sickness, and quite another when our world seems to be falling apart altogether.

Some of you reading this have had to ask God "Why?" in regard to some pretty heavy stuff. Why didn't I get into the college I so desperately longed to attend? Why did the relationship I thought would end in marriage just end for good? Why is the marriage that I thought would bring such fulfillment and joy crumbling around me? Why did I have to lose one of the most important people in my life? Why?

Oh, I know that God's ways are better than mine. . . and I really do believe that He wants what is best for me - even when I don't understand how His best could even be good. But it is hard to remember that in moments of difficulty. It is really hard not to get frustrated and wave your fists in the air demanding an alternate ending. . .

But a pretty phenomenal thing happened in the midst of my pity party over the last few days. I remembered Jesus. Not that I had forgotten Him entirely, but I remembered the truth that I wrote about several weeks back. . . I am already and ultimately a conqueror in Him. No matter what difficulty I might face - here is the beauty:

The end is already written. There are no alternatives. Jesus wins. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess. Oh, there is no greater ending than that!

So, along the way, I will get the stomach flu on vacation; people I love will hurt and suffer; plans and dreams will get crushed by life's never-ending curve balls. . . but I will do my best to focus on the ultimate end to this great story.

Remember, no matter what: Jesus wins.

No alternate ending necessary.