The reality of HELL

I often find myself viewing the life of some fallen-away friend as sorrowful and painful to watch. I often think about how strong in the faith they once were - preaching to hundreds of teens and adults about the desparate need for a conversion. I often think about their potential to reach thousands more, if only they were able to have stayed on the "straight and narrow." I often find myself concerned for the eternal safety of their soul. However, I am sure that the devil uses these situations as diversions from the reality of hell in my own life.
I need to realize that if the circumstances were just a little bit different, I would be in the exact same position. Moreover, I am distracted from the fact that every single day I make choices that move me one step closer to living a similar lifestyle. The only thing that is keeping me from falling away is the mercy and compassion of our Father in heaven. It is His mercy that sustains me and keeps my feet from stumbling on my rocky path. It is His compassion that understands my weaknesses and lifts me up when I fall. But what I would really like to know is ... why me? What have I ever done to deserve such a wonderful gift? Day in and day out I make choices that slap Him in the face, choices that pierce the heart of Jesus as he is stretched out on a tree for all of my sins. Yet He still urges me on, He still sheds light onto my path and shows me where I could stumble and keeps me from it. But, why me and not them??
Maybe the answer is that He does the very same for them. Maybe they fell too far into the despair of guilt that they feel as if the unending mercy of God can't reach them? I don't know. What I do know is that the reality of hell is something that I must always keep in mind. I need to realize that, as I view their lives, my life could easily be heading in the same direction.
Therefore, I ought to pray for the compassion of our Father to be branded upon my heart. I ought to pray that I would be able to look at their lives with love and mercy instead of arrogance and pity. I ought to pray that my life would be embedded within the cross of Christ so that they could see His mercy and hope for it beyond their comprehension. I ought to pray that when they meet me, they would have an encounter with Jesus Christ - the God they seek as they dream of happiness.