Shedding Light on Suicide

Imagine being in a dark, dark room – pitch black. There are no doors, no windows. There is seemingly no. way. out.

This is not an escape room game.

Now imagine a faint crack in the blackness. Not light exactly, but a change in the dark. With hopelessness as your only companion you are drawn to it. It’s the only answer.

Escape by death.

You recognize it. You’ve seen it before. But in fear you’ve ignored it. And it disappeared. But you’re still in darkness. And each time that THING appears it becomes like hope, and you consider it more and more.

According to the  World Health Organization, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people. In addition, every 40 seconds someone dies at their own hand totaling  800,000 people a year around the world.

Every 40 seconds…

When someone famous dies this way, discussions swirl in the media and on social media of the realities of depression and mental illness. And rightly so. Yet, depression and mental illness do not explain the suicide decision, they precede the suicide decision. They are the darkness contributors.

In fact, many things contribute to the darkness. For as many people who suffer from depression, anxiety and mental illness there are that many contributors. 

But for those who succumb to suicide, there is one common denominator. They could no longer ignore that THING. It drew them, like a moth to a flame. They thought it was their only hope.

“But they were loved!” we cry. “They had it all!” we declare. Or did they? Obviously, something was missing.

To help us understand, a representative from the National Suicide Prevention Talk Line recently shared on the Today Show, “The mind can play tricks on people.”

When does the mind play tricks on us? Isn’t it usually at night, in the darkness? We hear a noise and our imaginations go wild! We even wrestle with reality: “I did lock the front door, I know I did, or did I?” Our minds get muddled. Reality is distorted. We stumble out of bed in the darkness, stubbing toes on table legs, or worse yet, stepping on those forgotten Legos to check the doors we KNOW we already locked! It makes no sense! But we’re willing to risk pain and injury for what? Peace of mind.

How much more so in the darkness of deep depression. When blackness is all that can be seen, any change, even death, seems a hopeful option.

It’s time to turn on some lights.

Light bulb Number One: 

“The mind” isn’t the only thing playing tricks. There is an enemy who would like nothing more than to convince the distressed that suicide is the only way out. He is the devil and he does NOT want light shed on this topic. Whether you believe he exists or not doesn’t matter to him. In fact, the more you deny him, the greater his advantage. It’s HIS voice that whispers, “Death is the answer,” and, “Nobody will care,” and, “They’ll be better off without you.”
Hear this, friend, they are lies – they are ALL lies – because the devil is the father of lies. No matter who you are – Christian, non-Christian, atheist – you have heard his lies in one form or another. And for those struggling with despondency, his lies are deadly weapons used against you.
How is it that so many miss him or dismiss him? Because he wears Hopelessness like a cloaking device, hiding his true form and the weapons within.

Light bulb Number Two:
Once we turn the light on the Liar, the Hopelessness tactic can also be exposed, his sneakiest trick.
Hopelessness = without hope. When the devil convinces us there is NO HOPE, he’s got us.

What IS hope anyway? HOPE is one of the words we flippantly toss around like ‘love.’ I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” When really, we mean, “I wish it wouldn’t rain.”Is HOPE just wishful thinking?
Last year I began a word study on hope. In January, a good friend blogged about choosing a word or theme for the year. I chose the phrase, “Embrace Hope.” I thought it sounded, well…hopeful… and right for a new year.
Then I began to wonder, what does that really mean – Embrace Hope? Hold on to it? Never let go? Is that what we should do? But what about when I’m tired, is that when I lose hope? Is it my fault?
What is hope anyway? 

Here’s what I found.

Light bulb Number Three:
HOPE is… A Gift. It’s not just something we wish for, not just a feeling. A Psalm in the Bible says, “Find rest, O my soul in God alone; my HOPE comes from Him.” (Psalm 62:5) Now, I like gifts as much as anybody, but we don’t have to wait for our birthday for this one. We can cry out to God ANYTIME, ANYWHERE and ask for this gift. “God! My life seems HOPELESS! There doesn’t seem to be a way out! Please give me HOPE!”
You see, we never have to face the Liar alone! When we cry out to God it’s like flipping the light on! Our HOPE; true, trustworthy HOPE is found in ONE place, one GOD. Jesus is the only one who has faced the LIAR and won.

Light bulb Number Four:
Since, hope is from God then it doesn’t come from anywhere else.

Hope is NOT… found in money, social security, our jobs, CD’s, annuities, fame, friends, family, Presidents, our spouses, ourselves, our looks or our locks!

There is another Psalm that says, “No King is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all it’s great strength, it cannot save.” (Psalm 33:16-17)
When we put our HOPE in anything that is NOT God, we will be disappointed. Proverbs 13:12 tells us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”

Light bulb Number Five:
Hope is not in the now. If it was it would not be hope, it would be JOY. Hope is in the future; about the future. Having peace today knowing God’s got this.
Hope is trusting that God has not only our future, but our kid’s future and especially our eternal future.

Sometimes we do continue to suffer; darkness can linger in many forms – depression, illness, chronic pain, circumstances beyond our control. Jesus reminded us, “In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33) This world, this pain, is not our permanent home. One day, we will be in His Presence and the struggles of the enemy will not be ours anymore.
One of my favorite verses I found is “We wait in HOPE for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice for we trust in His holy name.” (Psalm 33:20)

Right about now you might be thinking, “I know so many Christians who have taken their own lives! OR I know all this I’m still living in the pit of depression!”

Let’s turn on the next switch:

Light bulb Number Six:
You are not alone. Like the Escape Room Games, it usually requires a TEAM of folks to solve the codes, reveal the mysteries and break out of the room.  Life is no different. Good therapists, counselors, pastors, doctors, accountability partners, life coaches, friends, family members can help you find the way out.
There is ALWAYS another way out! ALWAYS! But if you’ve been in darkness a long time, you will probably need help to find it. Don’t continue to struggle alone. Call a friend, see a pastor, find a counselor. There IS a way. There IS HOPE.

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of Darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”     ~2 Corinthians 4:6

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

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Gretchen Huesmann

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