5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

My mom is going through depression; she was just in a breakup with her boyfriend.  She wants a life, but she thinks by just praying, God will help her.  I told her He can if He wants, but God wants to see her do it on her own, and He's not going to help her if she's not going to do the footwork to get her life back.  Question is, was I wrong in telling her that? Because I need to get her back to being the mother and woman she was.

Sincerely,
Worried Child

Dear Worried Child,

God will bless your mother when she chooses to search after righteousness.  God says that He draws near to us when we draw near to Him (1 Jn 1:6-7).  Christ said that all who seek God should “ask, seek, and knock” if they want to receive God’s help (Matt 7:7).  God freely offers the gift of salvation to all mankind (Rom 6:23), but we have to want it and ask for it.  Jesus told all His disciples to take up their crosses and follow after Him (Matt 16:24).  We cannot live ungodly lives and expect God to bless us in those choices (Rom 6:1-2).  You are absolutely correct in telling your mother that God has expectations.

I know that the Bible says that God is with us every step of the way, that He knows what we think, is concerned for us, and what we encounter. However, is God really with us literally every step of the way in our journey of life?

Sincerely,
Looking Over My Shoulder

Dear Looking Over My Shoulder,

There is no specific verse that says God is with us "every step of the way".  However, He does know our hearts (Acts 1:24) and even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Lk 12:7).  We are not sure what you mean by "literally", but yes, God is literally aware of our hearts and lives every second of every day – He even has angels report to Him about our activities (Matt 18:10).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

Is it a sin to not want to sing in church because I don’t sing very well; I sing to myself; is that the same?

Sincerely,
Vocally Challenged

Dear Vocally Challenged,

There are many commands God gives that we don’t want to do, but we must do them all the same.  Obeying God’s laws can seem a lot like drinking cough syrup – nobody wants to do it, but it is still good for you.  We here at AYP, can sympathize with your lack of enthusiasm for singing; we once felt the exact same way.  The Scriptures are clear though.  We are told to sing and make melody in our hearts to God (Eph 5:19) and to use spiritual songs to admonish one another (Col 3:16).  Your voice is a tool used by God to help edify, exhort, and strengthen your fellow brethren.  So take your medicine and sing out loud.