A lot of people have been so disappointed with the sufferings of this life that they could no longer believe in a God who loves them. They have seen so much unfairness and injustice in this world. They have witnessed tremendous hurts that they find it so hard to continue believing in a good God.
How could there be a good God if He allows so much evil in this world? Could He not see the plight of the poor and the weak? Why is He silent when so many are asking for His help?
Frustrated and defeated, they cast away all hope and urge people to do the same. It seems simpler not to believe in God anymore. There is no God. And there is no heaven or hell after this life. Only people like us can help other people.
It is not mine to cast judgment upon those who believe so. I have not lived their pain. I have not experienced their tragedies.
But if I may ask something, I ask that I not be deprived of my hope. And my hope is in a God who loves us despite all the darkness that we currently see.
Don’t take away my hope, and don’t take away the hope of other people who cling to their faith in Him who could do all things.
God may be silent and God may seem distant. But that doesn’t mean He is gone. That doesn’t mean He will never hear His people.
For which is the better thought? To believe that there is no God because of so much evil? Or to believe that God will one day vanquish all evil and pain?
No matter how much I want to, I can never help every suffering person in this life. Who could possibly restore the sight of every blind person? Who could possibly make the deaf hear and the lame walk? Who could give justice to whom it is due? Only God can.
Because my belief in God does not mean that every suffering will already be vanquished here on earth. But it means that I have hope for heaven. It means that I have faith in a God who can give us far more than what we have ever lost. I believe in Him who alone can heal both our body and soul, who can wipe away ever tear and who can give us that kind of happiness we could never even dream or imagine.
“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.” — Helen Keller
“Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” — St. Thomas More
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed towards us…For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.” — Romans 8:18, 24–25 (WEBBE)
“Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear,
which didn’t enter into the heart of man,
these God has prepared for those who love him.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:9 (WEBBE)
Check Jocelyn's books:
"Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief", "Mend My Broken Heart", "Questions to God", "To Love an Invisible God", "Defending My Catholic Faith", and more - click here.
(You may freely quote excerpts from this website as long as due credit is given to author Jocelyn Soriano and the website itakeoffthemask.com)