The year gone by was rough, mean and shocking.

Millions have asked why God allowed such a year. Why he or she would permit massive suffering can boggle the mind and foster anger.

Many of us will ask the question again in the year to come.

If you believe in God, you may also believe that God is crying an ocean of tears. The world he created is in turmoil with no end in sight.

But human beings were given free will.

Is it God who permits the destruction of life?

Or is it we?

Should we blame the divine entity, or should we blame ourselves?

What responsibility do we have to encourage world peace? What actions, if any, can we take in our own homes and communities to make this a better world?

The question “Will God protect us in 2017?” is not the correct question.

Instead, we need to ask what we can, and will do, to make things better.

We can:

• end the blame game
• take responsibility for ourselves
• use our voice to uplift rather than tear down
• get to know people rather than believe in what others say about them
• be open to new people, cultures and ways of thinking
• replace anger with contemplation

We often feel that we can do nothing to help the world.

After all, we are just one person.

Yet, if each of us were to take such small steps, the entire planet would shift, for the better.

I think God is counting on us.