Rejoined in Heaven but still Devastated

One of my early articles  “All Dogs go to Heaven” discussed my feeling on our pets and Heaven.  I reasoned that Heaven would not be Heaven without our pets and that I expected that our dog Bailey who had passed was with Adam and that when our dog Buddy passed he would join  Adam too.  Unfortunately and unexpectedly our sweet dog Buddy has now joined Adam and even though I know he is in a better place and has joy to be reunited with his boy I am devastated and overcome with sadness.

Buddy was the sweetest dog I have ever owned and his faithful presence is sorely missed.  I walk around our home and every place I look has some memory from him attached to it.  I have lost 4 dogs in my life and every one was painful but this one hurts the most.  He was the one I most closely associate with Adam and the manner of his passing (drowning) was horrific and sudden.  If you have a pool and pets I would strongly urge you to take all precautions because like with small children it only takes a moment for disaster to strike.

As I struggle with loss I once again look to God and ask why?  What good can possibly come from this loss and how can a benevolent deity take away my sweet friend?  I realize there are far worse tragedies occurring on a minute by minute basis but I still struggle with the idea that this is part of some predestined plan that God has for me.  If that is true I am not sure I am up for this and would prefer a different plan or a different god. After coping with Adam’s and now Buddy’s loss I have determined that there is no plan.  I also base this on the events of the world as well.  I do not believe that God directs all things especially massacres of innocents whose only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  I believe our world is full of danger and evil and that at any moment tragedy can strike.  God and the strength he provides and the hope for another better world is what keeps us from succumbing to despair.

Suffering is inevitable in this world and while I am sure it builds perseverance and character (James 1: 2-4) I struggle to believe God deliberately inflicts suffering upon us to develop us spiritually. I am reading a book titled Crushing by TD Jakes which presents this idea. His idea of crushing is having a pregnant teenage daughter and losing his mom to Alzheimer’s.  I would propose that while I am sure this is a challenging situation and losing a parent is certainly sad it is nothing in comparison to what I and others have gone through. The idea that God would inflict this on us by design is severely misguided.

God loves us and wants the best for us but we live in world that is governed by sin and death and his power lies in delivering us from that world.  The suffering we experience in this world does build our reliance on God which gives us strength and character needed to follow the path to Heaven.  Losing Buddy reminds me yet again of my need for God’s help in overcoming loss and my hope of holding him in the next world.  Without this belief I really don’t know how I would cope with this.  Even if my belief is a fantasy I would rather hold it close than to think my sweet dog and son are lost to me forever.

Buddy was special.  He was bought for Adam to help him cope with our move to a new neighborhood and school.  He was Adam’s faithful friend and never so much as growled.  He was by my side whenever I was in the house and was always eager for affection and treats.  I have never experienced a more pure, unconditional love  and I will miss him. Give him a hug for me Adam and I am sure he will be showering you with kisses and so happy to be with you.