In Search Of A Better Tomorrow

Suicide Article

Last night I watched on HBO a documentary on the epidemic of depression leading to suicidal behaviors, killing  people in this world predominantly.  As I heard the responses from the crowd, of the question “if someone was contemplating suicide, what reasons for staying alive would you give”, I didn’t hear any answers that would lead me to believe they knew or even put hardly any thought toward God.” That really disturbed for many reasons.

First, it bothers me as I viewed the fact that if a person dies, and are unsaved, they will spend eternity in hell. Once dead, there is no second chances. Imagine eternity in agony and torment without end, and no life in heaven. I hardly want to imagine what pain those banished to hell, outside of heaven, would experience.

Secondly, life on earth can be really hard. However, a person who daily abides in Christ would be empowered by God, to experience the Holy Spirit’s fruit of the spirit that He gives to those who surrender to the Trinity. So, in essence, a person can go through great trials, but can still experience agape love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, self-control, etc, because the Spirit resides in only the soul of the believer. Thus, in spite of all the trials that we can go through, we can have hope, because “Christ has overcome the world.” The unbeliever has no such hope.

The believer is a child of God. Jesus paid the penalty for our all our sins, restoring the relationship between God and the new unsaved believer. This means, to those who seek Him, God will be the Heavenly Father that takes care of His children. Because of the cross, the new believer, can have ultimate peace and experience true joy and love from God; unfortunately, the unsaved is still considered an enemy with God because they chose not to or are unaware to accept God’s gift of salvation. (God want all to be His children, but if they don’t accept His gift of freedom, He cannot do anything about it, because He honors man’s liberty to have free will).

God truly loves His children. No one can pluck them out of the Father’s hands, and He promises “He will never leave, fail, or forsake His children” (see Deut 31:6). In essence, in spite of all the problems and sufferings the Christian experiences, God still has their backs”. You cannot say anyone about that to the unbeliever.

The unbeliever must face all the trials and tribulations on their own without God’s hope, is forced to try to experience peace and joy, absent from the Holy Spirit’s fruit of the spirit, which cannot be done, especially with the sinner’s frailties and sinful consciences. In essence, the unbeliever very little hope of experiencing freedom without a relationship with God, and a connection with the Holy Spirit.

Everyone needs the stability of Christ inside them, especially when the storms of life beat upon their lives. Like a house built up on a solid rock foundation, we can experience true stability and joy in spite of all our problems. The unbeliever is just the opposite. Their house is built upon sinking sands, and when life gets rough, their life becomes real fragile, which often leads to depression and suicidal contemplation.

People who have suicidal thoughts are very vulnerable to the problems of life. They need hope and compassion, and most importantly God, who is the Author of both. One bad situation can lead them toward death wish, and someone with love can make the suicidal have hope, which they desperately need. I know because I have experienced it.

I remember, around 1998, of me driving home from school very suicidal as I was fighting the urges of killing myself, by driving my car off the road purposely. At my lowest depression level, I prayed to God for help. The next thing I know THE RIVER by Garth Brooks played on the radio, giving me hope. It inspired me to keep on believing, and less than a year later, I met a teach ner who led me to a doctor who diagnosed my bipolar disorder (my OCD got discovered years later), and today, I often live close to a normal life, as my meds work great.ve

The love of that teacher, Professor Duane Dobbert, totally changed my life. If he didn’t help me, I would eventually give up on life. But God sent that person in my life, because God loved (and loves) me. I believed that teacher was a godsend, to save me from my illness.

Talking to the Christian, every day God puts people in our sphere of influence. If we love like that teacher, we may lead someone who desperately needs faith, hope, and love. God has a purpose for each of us – to Love everyone. And only through the Holy Spirit can that happen.

For the sake of freedom, we must let the Holy Spirit control our lives, and allow Him put spiritual fruit in lives. If we don’t act with love, unsaved people may die in hell because they do not know Him. That’s what makes suicide an epidemic.