Legacy
of Lies
Do not be afraid
of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Matthew 10:28
Standing in the receiving line at the
funeral home, Lori’s family was coming to grips with her suicide.
As heartrending as it was unexpected, the void left by her decision
brought more questions than answers.
Believing she had been an utter
disappointment as well as a burden, Lori had become a casualty of
spiritual warfare. At fifty-four, she had fought a valiant fight,
warring against the demons of addiction. It was a battle that had
lasted most of her adult life.
In a perpetual state of mind that lent
itself to chaos, feelings of failure and inadequacy fueled her guilt
and remorse, telling her she would always be a disappointment to
people, especially those who loved her most. So Lori made a decision
to end the incessant cycle of failure, believing her physical absence
would bring less pain in the long run, and Satan succeeded in
preventing another child of God from fulfilling her earthly purpose.
†
Suicide brings an un-spoken legacy of
lies that condemn the person to spiritual death. But Scripture says
nothing that would lead me to believe Lori, or anyone else who has
given their heart to Christ prior to their death, lost her salvation
because of her actions.
Suicide reveals a perceived
hopelessness where the victim believes they are beyond help…even
God’s. It is a state of mind that is driven to self-impose judgment
to atone for their inadequacy. We cannot comprehend the emotional
fragility in their final days of life.
In God’s eyes, salvation is based on
one act alone…our response to Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:14 says that
Jesus brought salvation ‘forever’ to those who have accepted Him
as Savior; not until we commit some contrived irreconcilable sin.
I find enough mercy and grace
throughout scripture to offer this hope: Though there will be
unanswerable questions as a result of suicide, we can take solace in
the knowledge that we will see them in Heaven as long as we have
accepted Jesus into our own heart.
Prayer
“Lord, be with those who
have felt the pain of losing someone to suicide. Speak Your truth to
them, and hold them while they grieve. In Jesus’
Name, amen.”
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