A Letter

Dear God,

I would just like to apologize to you for us humans.  We do a lot of stupid things when it comes to you.  The biggest one that comes to mind is killing.  We have killed many people in your name to further our own earthly ambitions.  Of course, some of the time, the people are just insane, but that's not your fault, which brings me to my main apology of this letter. 

I'm sorry that the human race blames you for every fault on the earth.  I'm sorry that so many people look at all the sorrow and suffering in the world and see that as proof that you don't exist, or if you do exist, that you don't really love us. 

People seem to forget that you are not a giant Santa Claus in the sky and will not magically swoop down and give us everything we want.  You are not our personal vending machine, where we put in prayers and receive miracles.  You are not going to solve all of our problems for us; life doesn't work like that. 

Now, I'll admit, it kind of sucks that you won't do that.  I mean, life is difficult and tough and hard, and it would be nice if you could just wave your hand and make all the problems go away, but, why should you clean up our mess?  You gave us free will; the mistakes in the world are caused by us, and we have to fix them. 

If you fixed our problems all the time, we would never learn anything; we would be mindless praising machines, and I don't think you want that.  If you did want us to be mindless praising machines, then why did you give us free will?  Some would say that you did it to test us, but I don't think that's right.  That seems like such a mean thing to do, and everything I've read and heard seems to agree that You Are Love.

I think the reason you gave us free will is that our choices mean so much more that way.  When we choose to love you and believe in you, we do not do it because we are forced to do so; that's not real love.  When we choose to love you, we do it because we want to love you.  That's the only way we can love you.

People say that if you can't solve our problems, then what good are you?  That sounds like an ignorant, spoiled teenager yelling at his parents because they won't buy him a car, doesn't it?  You've given us this Earth; you've given us free will; you've given us each other; and most of all, you've given us your Only Son. 

I'm sorry that we keep on clamoring for more.

One more thing, dear Lord.  I just want to thank you.  My faith is about the size of a mustard seed, and sometimes, it looked like that seed had died, but you didn't give up on me.  I'm still rather small and will probably never grow to the size of Peter or Paul, but I hope that my small faith gives you joy.

With the sincerest love and adoration,
Anne

PS.  Give my love to the Holy Spirit.