Q&A

The answer to your question is rooted in the story of our creation - a story with two sides.

While you contrast a “perfect” heaven with earth as a “training ground,” you’re also asking; If God is good and really loves us, if He knows everything and is so powerful, why do we suffer here on earth? He could prevent it all from happening.

The Bible says in John that in the beginning, there was God, and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word was God.

In Genesis, it says God spoke the world into existence and He looked on all (everything) that He had made and it was very good.

So, God did create a world that was good - there was nothing broken about it.

God is everywhere, including the hearts of his believers. He also dwells in the heavens.

But He made earth for humans. He crafted us in His image (with free will) for earth. It was a place of wholeness where humans would have a relationship with Him and rule over creation.

Think of it.

Adam and Eve walked with God in a serene, picturesque “garden” that He created for them.

And everything was perfect - at least for the first 2 chapters of the creation story.

Now. Here’s the rest of the story.

Q. I am a single Christian woman looking for a relationship with a godly man. I go to church, but it’s hard to find a real man of God. I feel like the clock is ticking. How do I find one?

A. Women in Christian dating communities generally agree that finding a godly man is their main challenge, followed by pressure to have sex, and a lack of spiritual leadership from men.

Sounds like the pickin’s are slim, doesn’t it?

So, let’s approach this from another angle.

Q: Why do people struggle to have faith in God?

A: There are many reasons, so I’ll focus on just two.

~Trusting in one’s own knowledge and relying on self.

~Relying only on reasoning - thinking logically, sensibly.

Imagine unplugging for a day to take a solo trip in your sailboat. Throwing caution to the wind, you forego the usual pre-departure boat checks and head out.

On the water, you enjoy watching the wind fill your sails, propelling your boat across the lake, never giving thought to the power behind the wind.

Eventually, you drop anchor and enjoy the delicious picnic dinner you prepared and packed. After a day of napping and relaxing in the sun, it’s time to head home.

But there’s no wind. You find that you have no gas to fuel the boat’s engine. You left your phone in the car, and there’s no radio to call for help.