Lately, I have been reflecting deeply on the meaning of life. I see many people asking why we are here on earth. Many are tired and wondering what at all is the meaning of life? Many are seeking for answers. In this post I attempted to answer why we are here on earth by having a sober reflection on the word of God.
Why are we here?
Why pain?
Why death?
Why this journey on earth?
At first, my heart went to familiar answers:
• We are here to know God and walk in relationship with Him
• To glorify Him with our lives and meet Him joyfully after this life
• To make impact, love others, and be a blessing
• To continue God’s plan for creation
• To discover our purpose and live it out
And all of that is true.
But then I began thinking deeper…
But what about those who never seem to experience joy, purpose, or peace?
What about those who suffer from childhood?
Those who have cried more than they’ve smiled?
Those who ask God, “Why am I here?”
And then the Holy Spirit brought my heart back to the very beginning, to Eden.
God’s Original Design, No Death, No Suffering
When God formed humanity, His intention was life, peace, and fellowship, not pain or sorrow.
“God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”
— Genesis 1:31
There was no sickness.
No fear.
No shame.
No death.
God only gave one warning:
“Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.”
— Genesis 2:17
Death was never God’s plan.
It entered only through sin.
Paul confirms it:
“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin.”
— Romans 5:12
Had Adam not sinned, humanity would not have experienced death or suffering.
We would have lived in God’s presence forever, in peace, purpose, and glory.
We even see this when God blocked access to the tree of life after the fall:
“Lest he take also of the tree of life, eat, and live forever…”
— Genesis 3:22
So yes — if Adam had not sinned, we would not taste death.
But sin broke what was perfect.
And now we live in a world shaped by the consequences of the fall.
So Why Are We Still Here? Why This Earthly Journey?
As I pondered this, the journey of the Israelites came to mind.
They were oppressed, broken, and enslaved.
Yet God did not abandon them.
He took them through a wilderness, a refining journey, into a promised land.
And it dawned on me:
Could this life be our own wilderness journey?
Our second Exodus?
We left Eden, and now we are journeying toward a greater promise, eternity with God.
And on this journey, we are shaped, refined, and drawn back to Him.
The scriptures remind us:
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… they will rest from their labor.”
— Revelation 14:13
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:26
Death is not natural, it is an enemy.
Yet in Christ, death becomes a doorway, not a defeat.
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
We journey now, but glory awaits.
And What About Those Who Suffer?
Some people only know suffering.
Some lives seem filled with hardship from start to finish.
But the Word assures us that pain is never pointless in God’s story.
“The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.”
— Romans 8:18
Even suffering becomes a place where God works deep things in us:
“After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
— 1 Peter 5:10
We don’t always understand the why, but we trust the Who.
And our story does not end in brokenness, it ends in glory.
The Hope of Believers, Another World in View
Here is where the peace of the believer shines brightly:
Our faith makes this journey bearable, meaningful, and hopeful.
Because as Christians, we walk knowing:
• This life is temporary
• There is another world prepared for us
• Heaven is real
• Christ has gone ahead to prepare a place
• Death is not the end, but a transition
Jesus promised:
“In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.”
— John 14:2
This hope anchors us.
It’s not that Christians do not suffer, we do.
But we suffer with eternity in view, knowing that the story ends in glory, not despair.
But What of Those With No Belief in God?
When I think of those who do not believe in God, atheists, and others with different belief systems, my heart becomes tender.
Some live trying to create meaning on their own terms.
Some pursue fulfillment in achievements, relationships, or self-purpose.
Some truly struggle with life’s questions because they do not see life beyond here.
And I wonder how heavy this journey must feel without the anchor of eternity.
Without the assurance of divine love.
Without the hope of a life beyond this one.
That is not said with judgment, but with compassion.
Because every heart, in one way or another, is searching for meaning, longing for peace, yearning for something beyond what this world can offer.
Scripture reminds us:
“He has set eternity in their hearts.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:11
Even when people deny God, the longing remains.
The soul still senses there is more.
And it is our calling not to condemn, but to shine the light, love deeply, live truthfully, and let our hope draw others home.
When Innocent Suffering Raises Hard Questions
When we see a baby in the NICU fighting for life, or a child/adult battling cancer/terminal illness, our hearts break and all the pain you can ever imagine that humanity suffers.
And sometimes people ask:
“How can God get glory from this? Why would a loving God allow this?”
First, I must say this clearly:
God does not delight in pain.
God does not rejoice in suffering.
God does not take pleasure in watching a child struggle.
The Bible says:
“He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.”
— Lamentations 3:33
God’s heart is tender.
Jesus wept at death (John 11:35).
He was moved with compassion (Matthew 14:14).
He welcomed children into His arms (Mark 10:14-16).
So suffering is not God’s pleasure, it is the result of a fallen world, not God’s original design.
Suffering Was Never the Plan
Before sin, there was no sickness, no NICU, no cancer, no death, no divorce.
“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”
— Genesis 1:31
We face pain now not because God wanted it, but because sin entered the world (Romans 5:12).
And creation has been groaning ever since (Romans 8:22).
We live in a broken world, and innocence sometimes suffers because sin damaged the world we live in.
So Where Is God When Innocent Suffer?
He is not distant.
He is not watching coldly from afar.
He is present, grieving, comforting, strengthening, redeeming.
“The LORD is close to the broken-hearted.”
— Psalm 34:18
He bottles every tear (Psalm 56:8).
He carries us in times of weakness (Isaiah 46:4).
And Jesus Himself entered suffering, He took on pain, sickness, and death so He could destroy it forever.
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”
— Isaiah 53:4
God does not delight in suffering, He came to end it.
Then Why Doesn’t He Stop Every Pain Right Now?
Because the story is still unfolding.
God is patient, working redemption.
He gives humans free will.
He allows the world to run its course, but not endlessly.
A day is coming when:
“There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
— Revelation 21:4
We live between Eden and Eternity…in the wilderness stage of the story.
Just like Israel in the wilderness, some seasons break us, but they are not the final chapter.
Where Is God’s Glory in These Moments?
God’s glory is not in the pain itself but in His presence in the pain, and in the redemption that follows it.
• In the strength He gives families who shouldn’t be standing
• In the miracles we sometimes witness
• In the comfort that surpasses human understanding
• In the way suffering births compassion, faith, and eternal hope
• In how temporary suffering points us to eternal life
Some children/people leave earth early, but they wake up in glory, in the arms of the Father, whole and radiant.
In heaven, no NICU exists.
No cancer wards.
No ventilators.
No monitors.
No tears.
And God promises parents they will see their little ones again.
A Mystery We Hold With Love, Not Pride
I (We as Christians) do not pretend to have all the answers.
It is okay to say, “I do not fully understand, but I trust God’s heart.”
Faith is not denying pain, it is trusting God in the middle of it.
God does not get glory from suffering,
He gets glory from defeating it.
A Gentle Answer for Those Asking With Pain
When someone asks this with tears in their eyes, do not give them theology first,
Give them love, presence, and compassion.
Say something like:
“I do not believe God takes pleasure in this pain.
I believe His heart hurts with you.
I believe He is near, even here.
And I believe this is not the end of the story, a day is coming when God will wipe every tear and make all things new.”
Sometimes the most powerful answer is simply sitting with them and reminding them of God’s heart
The Final Promise, Restoration, Not Ruin
God is not trying to leave us on this earth forever.
He is leading us to a restored creation, a new Eden, where everything lost in the fall will be fully redeemed.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain…”
— Revelation 21:4
This world is not our home.
It is our passage.
Our journey.
Our refining road back to God’s presence, just like Israel walking into promise.
So Why Are We Here?
We are here to:
• Be shaped into God’s likeness
• Know Him, walk with Him, and love Him
• Fulfill His purpose and reflect His glory
• Journey toward eternal life
• Testify of Him in our generation
• Be prepared for a kingdom that has no end
And when you question your existence or feel overwhelmed by life’s struggles, may the Holy Spirit remind you:
You are valuable.
You are seen.
You are chosen.
You are loved.
You are on a journey, not abandoned, but guided.
And your story does not end here.
Glory is ahead.
The Promised Life awaits.
Lest I forget…I was talking to a friend and he said,
“Dzifah, life is what we are living now. There is no other one anywhere. You are born, you grow, school, marry, raise a family, die, and your children continue.”
And I understood, that is truly what many believe.
That this world is all there is.
That life ends in the grave.
But if this is all life is, then what hope does a mother in the NICU hold?
What comfort do grieving parents have?
What becomes of suffering, tears, and battles fought in silence?
No, this cannot be all there is.
We were created for more than a cycle.
More than survival.
More than living just to die.
Scripture says:
“If our hope is only for this life, we are to be pitied.” — 1 Corinthians 15:19
This world is only the journey, not the destination.
A temporary tent before an eternal home.
A wilderness before the promised land.
Yes, we live, work, love, raise families but we do it knowing:
There is another world in view.
A place God has prepared.
A life beyond this life.
And that hope doesn’t make us ignore life,
It helps us endure it, with peace and purpose in our hearts.
Feel free to add your thoughts in the comment
