My step daughters step mother committed suicide by overdose on Tuesday night and passed away yesterday. A good friend's husband attempted suicide during the night last night and is in ICU and likely not to make it. Both believers. The craziness of this world is pushing people over the brink. Even as believers they lost hope. If they only knew how close we are to going home.... Hold on - don't let go. Condolences! TR Encouraging video! We are all in this together. We struggle and strive together, we have decided whom we follow. No turning back! Together we will finish this race. And together we shall conquer and overcome! For we are the righteousness of God, in Jesus! We shall rule and reign in Heaven! He will see us through the dark night, and bring us into eternal light! TR Hi Todd: I am so deeply sorry to hear that news...and for both you and your family's pain. People who have never been pushed to the brink in this life by unspeakably cruel and painful circumstances typically have no idea what might be going on in someone's mind at the moment they feel like they cannot take it any more. There is almost certainly demonic torment taking place at that moment in time. When I communicate with someone who "has no idea what could cause someone to feel so desperate", I will sometimes use the example of the 9/11 terrorist attack, when people (quite possibly believers in Jesus) were seen jumping from the building from unthinkable heights. I tell them to try to imagine the shock and trauma going through someone's mind, and add to that the intense heat from the flames that might very literally be being burning them to death at that instant. Could anyone possibly question why, when driven to that point and those circumstances, someone (even a believer) might choose to jump? It is an extreme example, but who is to say, based on each individual's unique emotional and spiritual make-up, what combination of trauma, pain, and hopelessness might represent to them a set of collective circumstances that simply overwhelms them. I have been to the "edge of that building" when I was so tormented and afflicted by Lyme, while watching virtually every aspect of my life be destroyed and being powerless to do a thing about it. I made it through only by the GRACE OF GOD after getting a firsthand taste of Job's anguish when the Lord withdraws His hand and permits the enemy to viciously, brutally assault the body and soul of one of God's children. I learned from that experience not to judge others. We typically have no idea how they are experiencing life on the inside. I am certainly not advocating for or justifying suicide. Our hope as believers in this life is obviously and ultimately in the Lord and His promised harpazo. But this broken, fallen world can sure brutally, with unspeakable cruelty and merciless anguish, assault our souls. Then you have the folks who want to come along and make suicide some sort of unpardonable sin. There is one unpardonable sin, as best as I can determine from the Word of God, and it is not suicide. It has to do with blaspheming the Holy Spirit by refusing to believe in the life/death/resurrection of Jesus for salvation. I believe a person who has been born again by the Holy Spirit of the Living God and sealed by that Spirit unto the day of redemption remains that way, even if they commit suicide. Losing your salvation because you committed too great a sin as your final act of this life just does not show up anywhere in the Bible. All that said, it is an absolute tragedy all the way around. For those who commit the act and for those who are left behind to try to pick up the pieces. A casualty of the spiritual war that rages around us, and seemingly with greater intensity every day now. May the Lord extend His grace, peace, comfort and healing to all those who have been affected. I am really, really sorry for your pain. How long, O Lord, before we can be done with such horrors? I am so sorry, Todd. Prayers going up for your family and close friend. Watchman35, Very well said. Todd, I am sorry for your families time of grief over the loss of loved ones. Death of our mortal bodies holds a sting for those left to grieve. :prayer-hands: Prayers for your family at this time, He will hold you fast Psalm 91:14 My condolences. May the LORD give you strength, wisdom and peace in this most troubling time. 🙁 It is difficult now and it’s just going to get that much more difficult up to the Rapture for born again Christians. Have mercy on your children, God of Comfort and Rest. The building across, a tenant jumped off the 7th floor sat. The police said 3 suicides happened sat and sun. Very sad 🙁 Wow Boulder95 - there is so much desperation in the world right now. I'm on conference calls daily with teams around the world and you can hear it in the voices of everyone that I work with. The enthusiasm and excitement that permeated my meetings late last year has turned into "numbness." I am always called "the eternal optimist" - and find that I'm one of the few left in my circle of connections. My optimism is based on knowing that the journey home is so close.
