When It’s Dark…

How often do things of this world, of this life, of an individual’s life bring us to despair? to discouragement? to fear? to anxiousness? How often?

Just in the past 6 weeks, I have personally known about 3 suicides, told to me by two precious women who are close to my heart. They have been touched by suicide as I was 23 years ago. It is such a difficult trauma. Thoughts of…could we have done something, anything to have prevented this tragedy? Guilt and wondering about what we did or did not do run through the mind. As my mother once put it after a cousin took her life, leaving a husband and three children, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” So often, that is the case. Not always, but more often than not.

In praying for these women and their families, plus the families of the dead, I find my mind thinking about all of this all over again since I personally experienced being the one to find a special friend dead. The many passing years have helped me to be able to speak and pray with comfort to these women. Yet, the true reason I can pray and share hope and comfort is that my God has given me salvation through His Son. He is my hope and love and my anchor. God has wrapped me in His arms of security. The Holy Spirit lives in me and gently comforts and gives me the perfect words I need when I am listening and desiring to hear with my ears and my heart. At the time of the suicide 23 years ago, I did not know Christ as my Savior and LORD, but in less than two years, I had, indeed, accepted the One and Only Jesus into my heart and life. Because of Jesus, I am able to speak words of comfort, hope, and life to those here who cared about someone who chose to take his or her own life. May we find our peace through the Holy One.

God created us ~

So God created man in His own image,
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

God has a plan for us ~

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

God wants us to have life ~

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

God sent His Son to take our sin upon Himself and to save us ~

He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

Accepting Christ gives us a new life ~

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Walking with the LORD takes one step of faith after another ~

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Seeking the LORD when we feel that there is no hope takes that faith. God is ever near ~

Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22

Christ promises to give us rest from any and all struggles ~

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

We have the assurance of eternal life from God Who gave His Son through death on the Cross for our sins ~

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

Father, I lift up those who are walking through or are mired in the tragedy of suicide this very moment. I pray that Your Holy Spirit comfort them. Please rain down Your peace upon them. Oh, LORD, I also pray that those who do not know You as the God of all, who do not know Jesus as their LORD and Savior, that Your salvation would soon, LORD, soon, reign in their hearts. Oh, Father God, our hope is in You. You love each one of Your precious creations and are waiting for us to open the door to our heart to let You in. I pray. To anyone who reads this, who is thinking about suicide, I pray that you seek your Creator for He is the God of all comfort and peace and hope. Father, wrap them in Your mighty loving arms. Send a warrior, an angel, a calm spirit to pray with them, to speak with them. Give them hope, LORD. I pray in the Powerful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not He, O LORD our God?
We set our hope on You,
for You do all these things. Jeremiah 14:22