I’ll never forget the morning I discovered my childhood dog was gone. He was an outside dog, and every morning, his greeting at the back door felt like a joyful reunion. But that day, there was only silence. No wagging tail. No bark. No friend.
He was twenty-one years old—a miracle age for a dog—so I had long considered the possibility of losing him. Still, nothing prepared me for that morning. I searched for days, crying as I scoured the desert where he loved to roam. For weeks, I called his name until my voice gave out. Nothing.
My mother told me that dogs sometimes wander off when it’s their time, to die alone in peace. But that thought offered no comfort. I needed closure. Dead or alive, I just needed to know.
As a child, I prayed to God with all my heart—pleading to find him, to understand what happened. No answer ever came. Eventually, the searches faded. My tears dried, but my heart didn’t heal. The not knowing left a hole in my soul—a quiet ache that time never filled.
Looking back through the eyes of faith, I understand now that not every story comes with answers. Sometimes, God allows mysteries to remain, not to torment us, but to teach us trust. Some closures belong only to heaven.
Today, I believe that God knows exactly what happened to my dog. I believe that somewhere beyond this world, my faithful friend is alive and well—chasing rabbits, napping in the sun, and marking trees in heaven’s wide-open fields.
When people ask what I look forward to most in heaven, I tell them it’s not only seeing my parents again—though that will be beautiful beyond words. It’s also running once more with my dog, throwing sticks, feeling his fur beneath my hands, and laughing with joy at God’s perfect goodness.
He’s waiting for me, just around the bend.
So, my brothers and sisters, when you face life’s unanswered questions—the grief, the wondering, the pain of not knowing—remember this: faith fills the spaces that understanding cannot. One day, in God’s timing, every mystery will be revealed, every tear wiped away, and every loved one—human or animal—restored to us again.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
— Revelation 21:4 (NIV)
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the gift of unconditional love through the creatures You’ve placed in our lives. Thank You for the loyalty, joy, and comfort they bring, reflections of Your own love for us.
When we lose them—or when we face any loss without answers—help us to trust that You know the whole story. Fill the empty spaces in our hearts with faith, and remind us that what is unseen is not lost, only waiting.
Lord, let us find peace in knowing that every soul You’ve created, every good and loving thing, will one day be restored in Your eternal kingdom. Until that day, help us to walk in faith, gratitude, and love.
Amen.
