“We have a large extended family, and since we have the biggest house, everyone always comes here for get-togethers. But that means I have to do most of the work, and frankly, it's a real burden. I'm already dreading Thanksgiving. Any suggestions?”
“We're already planning the annual Christmas pageant at our church. While it's always cute to see the children dressed up in white angel costumes with halos and wings, I wonder sometimes if we're misleading them, since we don't really know what those angels looked like.”
“How long can a person keep resisting God until He finally gives up on them and it's too late for them to turn back? I'm afraid my cousin has already passed that point, whatever it is. I even wonder if it's worth praying for him.”
“Over the years, my doctor has given me dozens of different pills, hoping to find something that will give me inner peace. But nothing really lasts, and my neighbor says I ought to try God. But what difference would that make?”
“What did Jesus mean when He said someplace that we’re not supposed to think about the future? How can we make it through life if we don’t ever plan for the future or take steps to avoid potential problems? Isn’t this unrealistic?”
“I get tired of my religious friends trying to tell me how I ought to live. I don't tell them how to live, so why should they tell me? Besides that, didn't Jesus say something about wanting us to be free?”
“Our congregation just elected me a deacon, and while I'm honored and all that, down inside I'm nervous and not sure I'm really up to it. I even wonder if God doesn't want me to do it. Do you think I should resign?”
“For over a week I sat in our local hospice house watching my elderly aunt die, and the experience has really shaken me. It suddenly came to me that someday the same thing is probably going to happen to me, and I dread it. Why do we have to die?”
“For years I looked forward to retiring, and at first I really enjoyed it. Then we moved to a different part of the country. We don't know anybody here, and anyway, I feel so useless with nothing to do. Did we make a mistake by moving here?”
“Years ago, I decided I didn't want anything to do with God, but now I'm facing some serious health issues and I know I made a mistake. You'll probably say it's not too late to turn to God, but I have a hard time believing it. Why should I?”
“I’ve always had the attitude that it’s best to just ignore things you can’t do anything about, such as death. But now I can’t ignore it, because I finally got up enough courage to go to the doctor for some pain I’ve been having, and he’s given me six months to live. Won’t God just laugh at me if I try to turn to Him now?”
“I've noticed several times in your column that you say salvation is a “free gift” from God. Does this mean I don't have to be good in order to go to heaven? That doesn't seem right.”