Bearing one another’s burdens

Posted by admin on Oct 21, 2010 in Issues & Ideas | 0 comments

Do you ever feel like you are living in A Series of Unfortunate Events? You may even begin to question the validity of your existence and why God has deserted you. Well,it turns out many people feel that way.

Institute of Marriage and Family Canada released a revised 2009 report which stated that in Canada suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 15-24. It also states that for each completed suicide there are 100 attempts, which often result in hospitalization. Most importantly, this report states that 90 percent of those who commit suicide suffer from potentially treatable mental disorders, substance abuse, and depression.

However, one thing the report didn’t state was how many Christians find themselves on the brink of taking their own life. This is a hard fact to face, of those contemplating or attempting suicide, you can be sure there are Christians among them.

With all this suffering, we must remember that Christ knew depression, sorrow, loneliness, abandonment, and betrayal. His closest friends left him in his hour of need: one even turned him over to his enemies to be tortured and eventually killed. Christ, the living Son of God, was not exempt from strife and tribulation, and therefore the followers of Christ are not exempt from hard lives either.

It is hard for Christians to admit struggles that can result in suicidal thoughts because, honestly, we are duped into thinking that we should be fine simply because of our understanding the life of Christ. But understanding Christ doesn’t mean we have life all figured out. It can, however, renew our hope when we remember that in those moments our Savior understands how we feel and has lived it Himself.

How do we, as humans and Christians, bear with and help our brothers and sisters when they are struggling with suicide? First, as humans we need to take action to ensure their safety and the safety of others, which means we need to alert a counselor or authority figure about the situation. Next, we need be a consistent friend, or help them find a consistent friend, who can check in with them and be available to listen to them. Lastly, as Christians, we should be constantly praying for this individual and their family to receive the healing and peace that they need. There may be people in our lives, Christian or otherwise, that are having a hard time with life. Reaching out in love to those who are suffering can make all the difference in their life and ours. We were not made to go through life alone, but in community bearing each other’s burdens. When we do this, we too walk in the sandals of Christ truly understanding the love of God. To God be the glory.

Adrianne J.Baumunk