2. If a desire for restoration and rededication seems to be manifest, share page 17.
3. Encourage the person to search God's Word and to pray sincerely that God will reveal His reasons for the suffering:
A. What is God trying to say to me?
B. What is He trying to teach me?
C. What steps ought I to take as a result?
4. If the person is not already involved, encourage getting into a Bibleteaching church. Bible study can lead to deeper understanding of God's will and ways.
5. Encourage him or her to communicate with Christian friends. It always helps to have a listening ear. This will result in comfort, understanding, and strength.
6. Pray with the inquirer personally, asking for deliverance.
Scripture
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me" (John 14:1).
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:28–29,
NIV).
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:35, 37).
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. . . . Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:2–3, 12, NIV).
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy" (1 Peter 4:12–13).
"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him
glorify God in this matter. . . . Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator" (1 Peter 4:16, 19).
SUICIDE
Background
A suicidal person feels he or she has exhausted all possible options. Life has no meaning, no purpose, no future, so why continue to endure its extreme unhappiness, anguish, hopelessness, and despair? The obsessive belief that nothing will ever change for the better leaves him or her feeling helpless, with the conviction that death is the only way out.
Such a person is a victim of depression, tortured with feelings of unworthiness, sin and failure, deep guilt, and the need to be punished. Many things condition this person for the depressed state that can lead to suicide or attempted suicide: anger, envy, jealousy, fear, guilt, self-pity, sexual deviation, drugs, alcohol. It should be obvious to the helper, then, that root causes leading to such a crisis are likely to be deep and possibly of long duration. Many of these do, in fact, reflect back to childhood and therefore point to the need for prolonged professional counseling with a Christian psychologist or psychiatrist.
Although not all the problems of the suicidal person are spiritual, the ultimate problem for any person's life is separation from God, solved only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Without this relationship with Christ, there can be no real solutions or healing. As a person experiences all that is involved in the new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)—forgiveness, freedom from guilt and fear, a sense of fulfillment and well-being, new motivation to live—forces for radical change are set in motion. This is where the helper can be of real service: guiding the inquirer into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Some people threaten suicide in order to get attention and sympathy. They want someone to listen to their hurt and frustrations. Others are beyond this point and seriously have self-destruction in mind.
It is only natural that you will feel inadequate when confronted with this kind of challenge; however, you should try to help, remembering that our resources come from the Lord. He will be reaching out in love and power through you. Be motivated by the promises of Scripture that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26), and, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).
Helping Strategy
When talking with a suicidal person, two main goals should be kept in mind: