Suicidal Dpression

[Rick_Warrn]

I have a friend that told me if he had to take meds to keep from having to kill himself then he would then disbelieve in God.

He said that salvation is for everyone and a Loving God does not keep someone from being saved. He said that Suicide is an unforgivable sin.

This means to him that suicidal depression that can not be overcome through faith must, there by, disprove God.

I think he should take his meds and THEN think about it... But I don't know how to get through to him...

If someone is in need of Christ then there is healing to be found, Everyone knows this; But what about the devout and faithful that receive no healing?

 

[singpeace]

Rick,

Tell your friend that the brain is just an organ like any other organ of the body and that it can become sick and not function as it should. Here are a few scriptures that show how even the Apostles became sick and were not supernaturally healed every time.


2 Corinthians 12:7-9
"...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me". (ASV) Paul suffered from a "thorn in the flesh" that he asked God to heal. His requests were rejected. Paul was neither able to cure himself or persuade God to cure him.

Galatians 4:13-14
"but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time: and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, (even) as Christ Jesus." (ASV) Paul apparently suffered from an apparently incurable infirmity of the flesh. He is pleasantly surprised that the Galatians did not despise him because of his problem.

Philippians 2:25-27
"But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier...ye had heard that he was sick: for indeed he was sick nigh unto death." (ASV)
Epaphroditus, one of Paul's co-workers became ill. Paul was apparently unable to cure him. It was only when Epaphroditus became fatally ill that God cured him.

1 Timothy 5:23
"Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (ASV) Apparently, Timothy suffered from stomach problems and other illnesses that Paul was unable to cure, but could only suggest the use of wine to ameliorate the symptoms.

2 Timothy 4:20
"...but Trophimus I left at Miletus sick." (ASV) Paul was unable to heal Trophimus, but had to leave him behind, still sick, at Miletus.


God is so merciful to us that He makes up for the faith we lack... the understanding we lack... by giving us medicine to take. Hence, the scripture in James 1:


James 1:17-19
17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

 

[NoelAsa]

Depression is an illness that can be helped with medication by a doctor. If your friend was sick with a different type of illness he probably would not hesitate to seek a doctor's help and take whatever medication was prescriped to him. Even though there is so much more information and help about depression there still tends to be a stigma about it.

I know when I was taking antidepressants I had some people in my life who thought I was just sad and should just be able to get over it. Depression is more than being sad. It is a terrible illness that can take your life away from you, even if you do not commit suicide.

It would be wonderful if God could heal us of all of our ailments, but that does not happen all of the time. I feel that sometimes we are given these afflictions to help us learn. I know that I have grown a lot since I became depressed and was on medication for 6 years. I am now off of them, but if there ever came a time when I felt I needed to take them again I would. God has been there in my life helping me. Even with the medication I do not think I could have done it without him.

Tell your friend that he can have God's help and the use of medication to also help with his depression. God made all of us and that includes doctors and scientists who developed the medication to help people. As far as I am concerned they are not two separate things but one combined element of the work of God and therefore a healing from God.

 

[loved33]

before we had doctors...people discovered that God's creation made herbs and plants that gave relief for ailments.

common sense says if you have a pain or sickness and the herb created by God, who saw it as good, gives health back to you....then health is part of life.

wisdom is needed.

i have heard stories of people who had teh top doctor, suddenly take their case, and they couldn't see it as GOD'S provision....and they died, refusing the good presented to them.

i have too, heard of people who refused to have a hysterectomy....because the knew God wanted them to have kids...so they didn't take doctor's advice...they stood on a prophetic word...and sure enough...they got their full healing.


it isnt a black and white issue.

your friend seems to think it is.

truth is God can heal through herbs...or medicines...and he can do a supernatural act.


from my own experience, it isn't ever just one way.

we must try and remember God is a supremely creative person.

and He will do things in teh way He decides..and no case is teh same.

we have teh word to know that He will heal...as to when and how....its His mind that knows all


but one thing is for sure....He isn't a liar.


i celebrated a breakthrough inn my healing the other day....it has been about 20 years in coming


but for most of those years i have forged a daily friendship with Christ.

in this particular need of healing...that was what was going to cause the breakthrough...not drugs...not supernatural zap...relationship


within that 20 years....i have looked like an unhealed failure ...on the outside...i even wondered at times...will i ever be free of this.....

but this week i had my breakthrough.....

it was a 20 year , slow style of healing


anyone who takes a quick peak..at me 5, 10 year s ago...could have said...God doesn't heal.

It is my reality that He does.

 

[plumsink]

I have a friend that told me if he had to take meds to keep from having to kill himself then he would then disbelieve in God.

He said that salvation is for everyone and a Loving God does not keep someone from being saved. He said that Suicide is an unforgivable sin.

This means to him that suicidal depression that can not be overcome through faith must, there by, disprove God.

I think he should take his meds and THEN think about it... But I don't know how to get through to him...

If someone is in need of Christ then there is healing to be found, Everyone knows this; But what about the devout and faithful that receive no healing?

He must be looking for a reason to disbelieve in God if he is willing to do it for such little provocation.

God does not heal everyone. In fact, sometimes God makes disease work in our spiritual favor. This is true of suffering in general. There are numerable saints who have discoursed on the spiritual efficacy of suffering, and Jesus Himself said "take up your cross". A cross is an instrument of torture, of pain. God uses suffering for redemptive purposes. This does not mean however that the sick should not take medicine, we are required to practice mercy.

"Jesus said to me; 'How many times would you have abandoned Me, my son, if I had not crucified you. Beneath the cross, one learns love, and I do not give this to everyone, but only to those souls who are dearest to Me."

-Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

 

[miss-a]

The thing is that God gets to choose by what means He sends healing, and sometimes it is through medication. sometimes medication just for a period of stablization, other times for life. But it's His choice. That can be hard to swallow when you're someone dead set against medications, like I was. I'd never even taken an advil. But I had to come to the realization, because I was so suicidal I feared the feelings would take over and I'd actually kill myself against my own will, faith for me in this case in spite of my belief against drugs, was to trust God enough to take them, to trust if it was the wrong decision He'd lead me out of it, and if it was the right decision He'd make that known.

The faith movement so often teaches that faith means needing no meds, but in my case, and I suspect many others, faith means trusting God, even when we do need meds.

I hope in some way that helps, and I'm sure many of us will pray for your friend.

Praying,
A