Which is more important in religion, learning how to live in this life or preparing for the next life? I have a friend who is certainly a devout person, but all she seems to think about is Heaven. Frankly, I'm more interested in how faith can help me deal with my problems right now. — J.G.

Which wing of an airplane is more important—the right wing or the left wing? You know the answer: Both are equally important, and if either one is missing the plane simply can't fly.

And the same is true with our faith in Christ. God is concerned about both this life and the life to come—and both are equally important in His eyes. If we concentrate on only one of these, our spiritual lives will be out of balance, and we won't be living the way God wants us to live. Nor will we experience the full measure of His blessing and joy.

Yes, God is concerned about our lives right now, and when we give our lives to Christ, God comes to live within us by His Holy Spirit. Why? So He can begin to transform our hearts and change us from within. The Bible says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:3). No matter what problems you are facing, God wants to help you—and He will as you yield yourself to Christ.

But someday this life will be over, and you and I will enter eternity—either with God in heaven or separated from Him forever in that place the Bible calls hell. Do you have the hope of heaven? You can, by committing your life to Jesus Christ.