Finding Encouragement as We Await Answers from Heaven
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It was right there on the test, a clear display of a plus sign: I was pregnant. After four years of trying to start a family with my husband, our prayers had been answered and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We anticipated telling our friends and family, excitingly planning our lives around the new little one coming into our world.
Then, four days later, I began showing signs of a miscarriage, which was later confirmed by a visit to the ER. Although we were encouraged in knowing we could have a child (and did in fact go on to have a healthy child a few years later), we questioned God’s reasoning for taking our little one back to Heaven. This has never fully been answered.
Our situation is similar to what many experience when a loved one dies, a job ends, income suddenly drops, or any number of unexpected disappointments and hurts happen to us. We look to God to give us an answer right away. We ask what we should learn from this outcome, only to be met with His reassuring peace, but no obvious answers.
If you find yourself in situations like this, it can be hard to not be disappointed. We may not know the answer to our suffering until we get to heaven, as many will tell you to comfort yourself in your grief “on this side of heaven.” But there are ways we can feel encouraged in knowing God will reveal the answer when we are face to face. We can even look back on what happened after this situation and see God sharing answers with us even then.
But first, let’s look at Scripture to see what we are told about getting answers in heaven.
The Bible’s Stance on Answers in Heaven
Although there is not really a verse that specifically mentions “this side of heaven,” there are several verses that describe God providing us the answers to all our earthly questions.
Habakkuk 2:3 tells us that God’s vision for heaven and our purpose in His plan will come at the proper time, so we are to wait for it and not worry that it will be late. Isaiah 25:8 shares that the Lord God will wipe our tears away and our shame will be removed from the earth because God wins, not death or evil.
The book of Revelation reminds us also that crying, sorrow, pain, and death will not be in heaven with us, for He makes all things new. “And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful’” (Revelation 21:4-5).
So, from what we can tell from these selected verses, when we enter heaven, questions about our lives on earth will be answered. We won’t be saddened by what happened or confused or angry anymore, as we will fully understand God’s reasoning and why it was not only for our growth, but for the growth of others as well.
How We Stay Hopeful This Side of Heaven
Even with knowing that we will have the answers we waited for one day, what can we do now for comfort in the struggles and sorrows of life? What helps people who have experienced unexplained loss of all kinds (just like that of our first child) find encouragement and hope that our sadness was meant for something in God’s plan?
Grabbing our Bibles is one of the first steps we can take. There, we will find many people like us who dealt with struggles and loss as well and never got an answer before they passed onto heaven. Their concerns, questions, and even anger are captured in the Bible, reminding us that we are not alone in our uncertainty about life’s ebbs and flows. However, even in their pain, many stayed faithful to God, trusting Him at His Word that they would have answers at the right time.
We can take another step toward comfort in the uncomfortable by reaching out to God in prayer. Ask Him not just for an answer to our problem or loss, but what we are to do in the meantime.
Prayer can often give us a sudden sense of peace about our struggles, and it is worth it to connect with God in a personal way.
It is helpful to share your sorrow with trusted people around you, such as friends and family, who can offer encouragement, guidance, or even just a listening ear. Often just stating your frustrations out loud helps, as it’s better than keeping it bottled up inside. A pastor or counselor could also be of help if you feel you need more spiritual authority or professional guidance. You can also read books about the struggle you are having to hear how others coped with the same circumstance and what God revealed to them.
If nothing else, give yourself time to heal, to process, and to trust that God knows what is best for you and this sorrow you are in. He knows that it is hard not to have answers at this moment, but if you give Him the chance, He will comfort and encourage you as you grieve and heal from this sadness. God did this for me in knowing that our little one will be the first greet us when we enter the gates of heaven.
These steps can provide hope in a time of struggle, comfort when you need it most, and knowledge that the answers will be revealed at the right time.
Cling to Christ in Difficulties
Life on this planet is not without hardships and grief; we all experience loss, discouragement, and sadness at different points. People will try to consol you by saying that even if you don’t have an answer on this side of heaven, you will once you arrive there.
However, we can take actions today to help lessen the pain caused by the heartache while reminding ourselves that God has a plan and a purpose for every single event that we go through.
Reading your Bible, talking over the situation with a friend or pastor, going to God in prayer, and allowing healing to take its time in your life are some ways that you can reach a place of peace while navigating the difficulty. This also prepares your heart for when you meet with God to more readily understand His explanation of why the circumstance occurred and how it developed you into the person you are today.
I may not have had the opportunity to hold our little one in my arms years before, but it gives me comfort knowing that when I talk with God about this loss in heaven, the peace I have now will be eternal once we are with our child and loved ones in heaven.
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