Does God honestly care about what is going on in our lives? When hard times hit or illness strikes, does He really care?
The answer is "Yes- a thousand times yes!" When the apostle Paul wrote these words he had just endured one of the hardest times in his life:"we were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life"(2 Corinthians 1:8). But in the midst of it God assured him of His compassion and presence, and in time God brought Paul through the trials he was experiencing and opened the door to new opportunities.
" praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble." 2 Corinthians 1;3-4.

If you took a poll of people and I pass every day on the street, many would say that the main reason they aren't attracted to the Christian faith- is the Christians they know . Some repel them by their self-righteousness; other show no love or compassion; still others show little concern for the world and its problems. Most of all, they'll point out, Christians can't seem to get along with each other. Why should we believe in Christ(they say) when He doesn't seem to make any difference in the lives of His followers?
Do others see Jesus in you?
 "  Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble..., because to this you were called ."1 Peter 3:8-9

Can an ancient book that was written by many people over the course of many centuries have anything to say to us today? Is the Bible's message honestly relevant ?
Yes, it is- as millions of believers around the world would attest. If anything , in fact, it's more relevant today than ever before, as we see the storm clouds gathering and events taking place that herald the second coming of Jesus Christ. As the Bible says," Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed"(Romans 13:11).
"They asked each other,"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'( Luke 24:32)

No Psalm is better known or better loved than Psalm 23, which probably owes its origin( at least humanly speaking) to David's boyhood as a shepherd. But has it become so familiar to us that we have forgotten its riches?
Look at the verses. They tell us first of all that God is like a shepherd to us- guiding us, keeping us safe, protecting us from our enemies, giving us everything we need to sustain our lives. But they also hint at our tendency to wander and get into trouble, like the lost sheep in one of Jesus' parables( see Luke 15:17).
" The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:1-3

Discouragement and depression can come for many reasons. We all brush up against them- when we lose someone to death, for example, or experience a problem that overwhelms us. Depression may even come from chemical imbalances in our bodies; when it is that case, modern medicine often can help.
At the same time, when we feel discouraged or depressed we need to turn to God in prayer and commit the situation into His hands. This isn't a substitute for medical treatment if we need it: God ordained the physical laws that govern our bodies, and He can use the insights of medical science to bring healing. But ultimately...when we face problems of any kind we need to turn to Jesus, our Help and Healer.
" Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."- Romans 12:12