Full Question
How can we find happiness in heaven if someone we love/know goes to hell? Some people say we will be satisfied with God’s justice, but this sounds rather cruel and cold.
Answer
You are thinking very much inside the box. You can’t do that when you think of heaven. It’s not just another earth-like human situation with clouds and pastel cherubs added. What you need to do is to ask yourself if you really think heaven is for God’s sake. I mean this literally. It’s all about God. God is infinite goodness, goodness without limit, pure unlimited love. This is something beyond any experience we are capable of imagining at this time.
We cannot box up God into our limited capacity as humans; we are invited by Him to experience that He alone is enough, and neither our sufferings nor celebrations can be carried with us to heaven in the same way we experience them on earth. To prepare ourselves for heaven would be to let go of our earthly desires and attachments, trust God, that He knows each of our heart’s deepest desires. Unlike here on earth, only God could finally fill us with contentment.
Do not to be afraid for our loved ones, but continuously pray for them. As we should for our neighbors tempted by doubt.
As added debate in the comments, Yes we all do have critical thinking, and free will, that is why believers don’t consider themselves as blind followers. Sometimes i have been visited by doubt too, but God reveals himself to us in personalized experiences, in His perfect timing. I cannot say the church of God is perfect because it is composed human individuals too, but God is perfect and knowing & experiencing His love is the ultimate goodness and purpose of the institution. We cannot judge the lives of our brothers, our task is to sypmathize with them through prayer. God will hear us.