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Troubled

Troubled

Last updated on: June 26, 2025 at 3:44 pm by Frank Viola

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Troubled 2025-06-25T15:46:10-04:00 Frank Viola

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Originally written in 2017.

Two weeks ago, someone I knew back in the late 90s came to my mind. We’ll just call him “Scott.” I started searching for Scott on Facebook. He was an ex-pastor who turned Christian counselor. He lived in Largo, Florida. I had him in my home, and I visited him in his. We weren’t terribly close, but we were more than acquaintances.

The last time I saw Scott was probably in 1998. Shortly afterwards, one of our mutual friends told me that Scott had left the Lord. Things weren’t going well in his life, and he was angry at God.

In my search two weeks ago, I found Scott on Facebook. However, his page was a memorial. “In memory of Scott [last name].”

His Facebook photo faintly looked like the man I once knew. He probably gained 50 pounds or more.

There was no explanation about his death. So I searched his obituary. Scott died in 2013. He was only 50. Again, no explanation of the cause.

I had a hard time sleeping that night. The image of Scott’s Facebook photo, a man who looked so different from the person I once knew, kept reappearing in my head.

Anyway, I’m troubled by the fact that Scott passed so young. I’m troubled not knowing if he ever came back to the Lord. I’m troubled that my influence on him didn’t have the kind of impact it should have. (Don’t misunderstand, I don’t feel any guilt. I’m just troubled.)

My point: Life is short. And we don’t know how long the people we are in contact with will be with us. So live intentionally and with care and vigilance.

Come to think of it, I met a number of people through Scott. They were believers. In the off chance that you happen to be one of them who is reading this, and you know who I’m talking about and how he passed, I’d love to know.

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