Sometimes people write to me wanting to know why God took their loved one unexpectedly.
“He was such a good person Erin, why would God kill him?”
“She was so young, why would God call her to heaven so soon? She never got a chance to live!”
“She didn’t deserve to die. I am so angry with God for taking my mom from me. How could he do such a thing?”
“Did we anger God in some way? Is that why he took my wife?”
It saddens me when I receive these emails because I understand that many people believe that death is punishment, or that death is preplanned, or that God removes people on a whim.
But in reality, sometimes people just die. It’s not because they weren’t worthy of living. It’s not because God is angry or punishing you.
Sometimes the body gives out. Sometimes the body develops disease. Sometimes a decision made by one person can cause another person’s life to be lost.
Your soul came here to experience, learn, and be in a place of joy. But our souls are housed in fragile shells we call bodies. Our bodies are subject to the rigors of life. Disease, illness, or injury can make the body incapable of housing the soul any longer. When that happens, the soul releases the body and goes to the other side.
Sometimes the soul is not ready to go. Sometimes that soul was really enjoying his life. But without the body, the soul cannot stay incarnated.
There does come a time at the end of a naturally long life when the soul can decide to exit a body even before the body has given out. That is an option. But it’s not God making that decision.
We must endeavor to care for our bodies and our lives if we wish to live a long time. Likewise, if we lived in a society where people didn’t hurt others, that would allow us to live longer. But free will can remove someone from their body long before they wished to go.
Don’t be angry with God. It’s not about justice or anger or punishment. Sometimes death just happens, even to the young, even to the good, even to those who don’t “deserve” to die.
Cherish every day because you never know when it will be your last. And treasure those you love, because they may not be here tomorrow. But while we live, we can love and we can dance in joy. In the end, how you live is more important than how long you lived.
