I'm going to be honest here ... it's my understanding that situations like these cause those of us w/ a Pentecostal theology to blame ourselves for somewhow ... losing a soul.
Esther, you have expressed that perhaps your pastor and yourself felt he/you could have done more. I know this feeling well. I lived it when God said no to the liver transplant that would have saved my Dad's life ....
There are some things out of our control. Some things that are done by personal choice ... This is a choice she made ... we don't know why but we must accept.
I'm going to honest here ... it's my understanding that situations like these cause those of us w/ a Pentecostal theology to blame ourselves for somewhow ... losing a soul.
Esther, you have expressed that perhaps your pastor and yourself could have done more. I know this feeling well. I lived it when God said no to the liver transplant that would have saved my Dad's life ....
There are some things out of our control. Some things that a done by personal choice ... This is a choice she made ... we don't know why but we must accept.
Our God has the final say.
What you say is true, however, I can't understand WHY she didn't call me? She usually would. This is really, really bothering me. I still just can't believe she did this.
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Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
There are many factors to this ... Would God condemn a person who does so because of mental illness or under the influence of prescribed medication?
It's my testimony based on my own personal experience being in the depths of depression that he will not do so, that his love is abounding. God knows where we're at, and sometimes I wonder if we don't underestimate his love because we base it on human love, which can be so fickle. God's love is constant, unchanging, a rock.
What you say is true, however, I can't understand WHY she didn't call me? She usually would. This is really, really bothering me. I still just can't believe she did this.
I don't know why ... if we attempted to 'sure we could come up w/ many reasons. In the final analysis, I'm sure many times she called on the Almighty.
Humans suffer from loneliness, Esther ... it's a consequence of our disobedience ...
My mom recounted to me yesterday how Dad a year before dying cried out for hours one night crying "God, Why have you forsaken me???" .... all mom could do is hold him and pray ....
Dad also told me during his sickness ... that he felt so lonely. He said, "Dan, it's possible to be in a crowd of people and still feel lonely". I told him I was there for him ... and replied I could not understand.
Your friend felt what all of us feel in this flesh that is deteriorating and suffering because of sin in the world. In a moment, she decided to take away the pain.
This I do know ....
Our Lamb, inexplicably, carried her pain and yours and mine... the pain of all mankind ... it's no wonder he cried out "My God, my God ... Why have you forsaken me." He carried an unfathomable amout of pain and knows our own.
He knows our pain, He carried it ... His invitation is that all of us who are burdened and heavy laden come to Him ... so that He may give us rest.
It's my testimony based on my own personal experience being in the depths of depression that he will not do so, that his love is abounding. God knows where we're at, and sometimes I wonder if we don't underestimate his love because we base it on human love, which can be so fickle. God's love is constant, unchanging, a rock.
I have always heard it preached that if you committed suicide you automatically went to hell. The concept being you murdered yourself and you couldn’t repent.
Is there really any scripture on this?
My pastor mentioned Sunday morning that a former member of our church had committed suicide the night before Thanksgiving. He asked could he have helped her more when she would come and talk to him? Are there others sitting beside us that are in a similar situation and we are not aware of their needs?
It is a very sobering thought.
This person was a close friend of mine. A prayer partner that had just called me a couple of weeks prior with a special prayer request. A situation that had to do with her daughter and someone in the church. So WHY didn’t she call me! She told me that her and her daughter prayed for me every night before they went to bed. She was an older mother and was extremely protective of her daughter.
My mind is boggled over how can a prayer warrior get to this point?
Are there others around me that I am not sensitive enough in the spirit to see they need help?
This is two deaths close to me in a two week period. Not a good holiday!
I have my thoughts....why would God send someone to hell for being so depressed and unhappy...I think they go straight to His arms and he holds them and comforts them....I have no scripture for it either way someone else may, but I just can't buy the angry God I hear about so much....my God the one I talk to everyday is kind, gentle, loving and cares for my deeply!
NO!!! OVER EATING!! using food as an escape to ease depression etc
Oh thanks for clairfying.
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Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Esther, I am sorry for what you are going thru. I have had 2 First Cousins commit suicide. One this year and the other about 5 years ago. What a horrible tragedy.
What I have come to understand is that depression is a disease that is as deadly has cancer. And not all that different from cancer or heart disease or any other lethal sickness.
What I have come to understand is that it isn’t the disease one dies from but what is the condition of the soul? If you are saved and you die from a heart attack there isn’t a question.
Why do we make it a question when a saved person dies from depression?
[SIZE="4"]Good thoughts Ferd! You grow even greater in my estimation. I appreciate all the posts so far and do believe that we are only now beginning to understand the love of our Father.
Raven
The bigger question is, will God have mercy on us for not caring for those people as we should have? Did they do what they did because we failed to give them hope?
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