SUICIDE
I you or a person you know begins to have self-destructive thoughts, he should seek professional help immediately by contacting a “Suicide Prevention” organization, as National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255). Or have a friend take you to the nearest hospital emergency room.
God did not make us to kill ourselves. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). There is more potential in each life than can possibly be imagined, and the devil wants to destroy your life. If one wants God’s help with depression or wrong thoughts, then he will have to get his spiritual compass pointed toward God. These people have real pain. Sometimes it is caused by guilt, pride, regret, and others. And because they are hurt, they may want to strike out at those that love them.
I once heard a man say, “People do this because they want to hurt others.” But some are just trying to stop their own hurt. We can get knocked down because of our rebellion, bitterness, or pride. Are you willing to turn your life over to God and live for Him? Depression can come from rejecting God’s will for one’s life. God made us, and He knows how to make us happy. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:9–11).
Some of man’s problems took years to develop and may take years to overcome. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:18–22).
This starts in the mind. Change your thought life. If you have obsessive thoughts, you can’t stop thinking a depressive thought, or anything, then “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Start putting spiritual thoughts in your mind (see THOUGHT LIFE; OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD). Read the Bible; it will cleanse you. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3; see also John 17:17). If one thinks about something funny, he will laugh; something sad, he will be sad or even cry; something upsetting, he will become angry. But if the same person thinks upon the Word of God, he will have great victory in his thought life and even in his life. If you cannot control your thought life then read large portions of the Bible every day, out loud if necessary. Ten pages a day would not be too much. Imagine a winter scene with heavy snow where cars are driving on unplowed streets. The wheels of a car will get stuck in the ruts of the deep snow, and it is hard to turn the car out of these ruts. So is our mind, repeating thoughts till it is hard to stop thinking about something. New “ruts” need to be made, so one will have a new pattern of thoughts to follow. There are many that have lost control of their thought life but, by the grace of God, have been given back control.
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:4–6).
A person will become happy not by trying to make himself happy but by helping others and serving God. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The Scriptures teach us to count our blessings, not to gloat in them but to remember who gave them to us. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). If one will count his or her blessings, he will end up being happier and, hopefully, thankful to God, who gave them. Write out on paper all your blessings.
People who have had a relative commit suicide are said to have joined a “secretive society of grievers.” Why secret? Because they do not like to talk about it; there is a certain shame attached to it. Depending on the personality of the person who has lost a loved one this way, he may begin to have such self-destructive thoughts himself. If this happens, he should seek professional help immediately.
My dad told me when he was in the military in WWII that soldiers who attempted suicide and failed were tried by the military on the grounds that they were attempting to destroy “government property.” As a Christian you and your body belong to God. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13; see EUTHANASIA; THOUGHT LIFE; OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD).
I you or a person you know begins to have self-destructive thoughts, he should seek professional help immediately by contacting a “Suicide Prevention” organization, as National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255). Or have a friend take you to the nearest hospital emergency room.
God did not make us to kill ourselves. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). There is more potential in each life than can possibly be imagined, and the devil wants to destroy your life. If one wants God’s help with depression or wrong thoughts, then he will have to get his spiritual compass pointed toward God. These people have real pain. Sometimes it is caused by guilt, pride, regret, and others. And because they are hurt, they may want to strike out at those that love them.
I once heard a man say, “People do this because they want to hurt others.” But some are just trying to stop their own hurt. We can get knocked down because of our rebellion, bitterness, or pride. Are you willing to turn your life over to God and live for Him? Depression can come from rejecting God’s will for one’s life. God made us, and He knows how to make us happy. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:9–11).
Some of man’s problems took years to develop and may take years to overcome. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:18–22).
This starts in the mind. Change your thought life. If you have obsessive thoughts, you can’t stop thinking a depressive thought, or anything, then “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Start putting spiritual thoughts in your mind (see THOUGHT LIFE; OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD). Read the Bible; it will cleanse you. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3; see also John 17:17). If one thinks about something funny, he will laugh; something sad, he will be sad or even cry; something upsetting, he will become angry. But if the same person thinks upon the Word of God, he will have great victory in his thought life and even in his life. If you cannot control your thought life then read large portions of the Bible every day, out loud if necessary. Ten pages a day would not be too much. Imagine a winter scene with heavy snow where cars are driving on unplowed streets. The wheels of a car will get stuck in the ruts of the deep snow, and it is hard to turn the car out of these ruts. So is our mind, repeating thoughts till it is hard to stop thinking about something. New “ruts” need to be made, so one will have a new pattern of thoughts to follow. There are many that have lost control of their thought life but, by the grace of God, have been given back control.
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:4–6).
A person will become happy not by trying to make himself happy but by helping others and serving God. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The Scriptures teach us to count our blessings, not to gloat in them but to remember who gave them to us. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). If one will count his or her blessings, he will end up being happier and, hopefully, thankful to God, who gave them. Write out on paper all your blessings.
People who have had a relative commit suicide are said to have joined a “secretive society of grievers.” Why secret? Because they do not like to talk about it; there is a certain shame attached to it. Depending on the personality of the person who has lost a loved one this way, he may begin to have such self-destructive thoughts himself. If this happens, he should seek professional help immediately.
My dad told me when he was in the military in WWII that soldiers who attempted suicide and failed were tried by the military on the grounds that they were attempting to destroy “government property.” As a Christian you and your body belong to God. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13; see EUTHANASIA; THOUGHT LIFE; OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD).
