In this sermon, Stephen Davey confronts the myth of “happily ever after” by showing that faithful believers often endure prolonged suffering without earthly resolution. Through the life of Thomas Jefferson Bowen—missionary pioneer to Nigeria whose final years were marked by illness, addiction to prescribed laudanum, and mental collapse—Davey demonstrates that visible success is not God’s measure of faithfulness. Though Bowen died in obscurity, his gospel labor later produced thousands of churches and millions of believers, fruit he never lived to see. Davey connects Bowen’s story to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, reminding believers that present afflictions are light and momentary compared to eternal glory. He concludes that while life rarely ends like a fairytale on earth, every believer’s story will ultimately resolve in Christ’s presence with an everlasting “happily ever after.”
When Fairytales Finally Come True
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