Don’t die yet: Suicide not an option

Key Verse: Acts 16:28, “But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” (NLT)
In recent times, many cases of suicides have been reported and deaths prowling on the streets. For example, a university admission-seeker recently took her life. According to a witness, she was reportedly displeased with the 163 mark she got in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. To show her disenchantment, she consumed three bottles of Sniper, an insecticide. The bottles were found by her side the day she was found lifeless.

Findings attest to the fact that depression is a major cause of suicide. Depression is a disorder shown by excessive sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable things and low motivation. Depression has no regard for class, gender, age, tribe, or race. If left unattended to, depression becomes suicidal (1 Kings 19:4). Depression makes you lose touch of anything good around you. Recycled disappointment is one of the causes of depression. One of the signs of depression is you feel miserable as a result of past mistakes, failures and events.

In Acts 16, the jailer got trapped in depression because of the feeling that he failed miserably in his duty. The prison gates flew wide open and the chains of the prisoners under his custody fell off. He thought the prisoners had all escaped from the prison and may face death as a consequence. As a result, he attempted to commit suicide but Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

It is normal to experience feelings of sadness and despair in response to adverse life events, but you should not give in to depression and suicide. Look out for survivors around your environment whom have triumphed over similar life crisis you are going through, and leverage on their testimonies to survive and thrive. Paul said, “We are all here,” meaning learn from us that have also been through what you are going through, and even much more, yet we didn’t give up. Don’t kill yourself beloved, I see light at the end of the tunnel. That situation you are going through now will not kill you, but you will come out victoriously in Jesus Name, Amen. The Bible says, ‘His favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Don’t allow depression blind you from God’s help (1 Kings 19:3). Elijah did a great revival in 1 Kings 18 and performed a great miracle of calling down fire from Heaven. He killed 400 prophets of Baal. And later, in 1 Kings 19:4, he asked God to kill him.

Depression makes you think you have nothing to offer and tells you that your time/season is over. It makes you question all the relationships you have and makes you say things that are not true about God.

Depression makes you quickly forget who you are and what God has done through you. It makes you believe you are the only one going through that problem.

Everyone is dealing with a problem. The only difference is how you are dealing with yours.

You have every reason to be happy despite your challenging situation. The fact that you are still alive is a good reason to thank God. Don’t forget that despite your problem, someone is still praying to be like you.

Don’t kill yourself, for God has not finished with you. After you’ve suffered a little while, the God of all grace will restore and establish you (1 Peter 5:10). Don’t be moved by your circumstances, but be moved by the Word of God.

Today’s Nugget: Suicide is not an option.
Prayer: I shall not die but live to taste of the goodness of God
Prayer lines: 09078154261.
E-mail: aggospelbell@gmail.com
Dr. Chidi Okoroafor, General Superintendent
Assemblies of God Nigeria