How an apostle who despaired of life discovered hope for living …

September is national Suicide Prevention Month, and today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.

Suicide was an increasing tragedy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that global crisis only ignited greater despair leading to increased suicidal ideation, actual attempts at suicide, and increased suicides committed.

There is a real and better answer to the deepest, darkest despair of life.

We’re pointed to that answer in the Bible by an apostle of Jesus Christ who, himself, despaired so greatly that he thought he was going to die.

It’s a story shared by the Apostle Paul in a letter to the church in Corinth. It begins in 2 Corinthians 1:8 …

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die …” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9a.

Look closely at how Paul describes the depth of his despair:

“We were crushed …”

“… and overwhelmed beyond OUR ability to endure …”

“… we expected to die …”

These are common thoughts and emotions of a person contemplating suicide — the depths of despair they are experiencing feels crushing, overwhelming, and beyond their ability to endure. In that state of mind, some begin to think death could perhaps be a welcome end to the pain, the only way to gain relief, the only way out of their crushing despair.

Paul discovered a better answer:

“In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us,” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10.

Life is bigger than all of us; every one of us, at some time, will think and feel that some circumstance(s) are beyond our ability to endure. To overcome life’s deepest despair and great troubles, we need to (and CAN!) follow Paul’s example by stop relying on ourselves and learn to rely only on God.

He still rescues!

Notice Paul didn’t say that was a one-time thing. Having been rescued by God, Paul learned to keep his confidence firmly in Him, and he was sure that God would continue to rescue Him in the future.

The way forward, the peaceful, joyful way through life is found in no longer relying on yourself, and instead placing all of your trust and confidence in God alone.

God still rescues!

Scotty