Q. Kia, I am about to decide to stop going to church because I see so much phoniness and hypocrisy when I go. I don’t want to stop going, but I find myself getting upset when I see and hear things that I know are not right. What do you think I should do?
A. First, I suggest you pray and ask God for the strength to keep your mind on the reason you are there in the first place, which must be to worship and praise Him. Then I suggest that you look for good in every aspect of the service and refuse to criticize or judge anyone or anything. You will find that not only will you learn more about the Will of God; but will also enjoy the service far more than you anticipated.
Q. I find myself getting more upset every day after watching the news. It is full of nothing but bad news, and hardly ever reports anything that I can laugh about. I have decided several times to just stop watching it, but I always go back out of feeling I would be missing something important. Kia, what do you think I should do?
A. I can attest to the emotional and sometimes mental strain that comes upon us due to constantly watching the news in view of the state of the world today. My personal response has been to fast from the news. After four weeks of not watching, I can honestly say that my level of anxiety has decreased significantly. I would also like you to know that you will not be deprived of anything that is essential to your wellbeing due to your not watching the news.
God will reveal to you what you need to know in unexpected and less stressful ways. I suggest you fast from the news for three days and assess your feelings afterwards. Then decide whether it would be to your advantage to continue the fast.
Q. Kia, I am in a domestic violence relationship with a man who I truly love. I’ve tried to walk away several times, but I always go back when he promises things will get better. I can’t walk away because he needs me. I know that he loves me, but it seems like he forgets that when he is angry. What can I do to get him to see how much his behavior is hurting our relationship?
A. What you can do is accept the reality that you are making excuses for someone who could seriously injure you, or even kill you. Violence is not a reflection nor indication of love. Know that love is Kind, Gentle, Compassionate, Caring, Giving, and Protective. If you’re not being treated with those things, I suggest you seek whatever help you need to strengthen you to walk away and not turn back.
Do YOU have a question for Kia? She’d be happy to accept questions. They can be emailed to lailai1044@comcast.net with the subject line ASK KIA.
