Two friends have recently shared with me the pain they have experienced after loosing family members to suicide. Both people were Christians who had accepted Jesus into their hearts.

As one of my friends spoke to me the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. Tragically, she had lost her sister who was a mother and a wife.  The sister, was a tormented soul and this precious woman was also a Christian.

The pain on my friends face’ etched into her worried brow. Un-answered questions plagued her mind. Acknowledging my faith, my friend told me that she’d been attending her local Church to try and make sense of it all.

Questions such as- “How can a Christian who has faith take their own life? And how does God view such things?”  Why would a Christian who has the source of life dwelling within them make such a drastic choice?

The reality is we live in a broken and fallen world, and there is a spiritual atmosphere that surrounds us. Sometimes aspects of our lives align instantly with our new nature identity and in other instances, believers struggle intensely with issues they face in their lives. Death seems like a plausable answer.

As believers, we have received the free gift and nothing we do or don’t do can separate us from being positioned in Christ. Ephesians 1:7 says, we are forgiven because of what Jesus has done- not based upon what we have to do. That is what John 19:30 is referring to.  Jesus’s last words as he hung on the Cross were “It is finished.” Our acceptance in Christ comes from right believing. Not from our efforts like the Old Testament used to be like.

The good news is if we have suicidal thoughts that plague us, we can be set free from these strongholds. (A stronghold is simply an ungodly thought pattern).  The spirit of God has the power to transform our thoughts and we can have the upper hand, changing the way we think. This can be achieved through the laying on of hands, as we pray for one another with the holy spirit’s power. The Scriptures have the power to bring about change as well, as the presence and power of God is released as we speak them out in faith.

There is no fear in love, as the perfect love of God casts out all fear. If suicide is something that intimidates or frightens you, tell a friend who knows Jesus and ask them to pray with you. You are more precious than gold and God has a wonderful plan for your life.

The tragedy of suicide leaves a gaping hole of the person we have lost, but rest assured that if you have lost a loved one to suicide and they were a believer, then the Scripture tells us that Heaven’s gates and God’s arms are wide open. And if you are not sure of a loved ones confession of faith or not, rest assured that God gives everyone the chance on multiple occasions through our lives to receive the free gift. Once we know the truth, He has given us a free will to choose what we will do with the truth.

May your mind be at peace as the honey of Heaven heals your pain.

Love Veronica. xx