When hard things in life happen, what’s your response? I suppose it depends on what it is that’s hard. But when you face a challenge are you the type of person who curls up in a fetal position and cries? Or do you push through the challenge on your own, doing the best you can with what you have? Or do you seek some help and support to meet the challenge as best you can? Maybe, like me often, you just try to avoid challenges and difficult situations.

At what point do our commitments take our freedom? I mean, all of us make commitments, including what our spouses and kids take on. And I’m a huge proponent of sticking to commitments. But at what point does having too many commitments make us slaves to outside groups, organizations and people rather than free to make healthy choices?

I think all of us are seeking truth. I mean, our sense of right and wrong, our desire for justice and questions about the purpose of life all point to truth. But truth is allusive in many ways. Counselors and psychologist tell us that perception is reality, but that doesn’t necessarily means it’s accurate or true.

I think most of us would assume that being a follower of Jesus in times of physical persecution and outright hatred for Christians to be one of the most difficult times to follow him. I know that secret meetings and hiding from authorities would be so hard for me. And I think we need to regularly remember that even today there are many fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer this way around the world. However, I also believe that truly following Jesus in the American and Western world today can be just as difficult in some ways.