I Just Want to Die

Aging, chronic pain, financial setbacks, loss of a loved one or home or job, rejection from a friend or mate, and a myriad of other issues all contribute to the depression, which can cause suicidal thoughts. 

We want to escape the physical, mental and emotional pain, which is often more than we can bear. We contemplate methods of ending our life, believing the lie that suicide is our best option. 

However, suicide is a coping method, which is a permanent solution for a temporary problem. Most suicides fail, and some leave us disabled; but if they succeed, they cause our family and friends more pain than we ever experienced in our whole life.

God has an answer for our pain. If we cast our cares on Him, He takes care of us (Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7). He will lead us to the perfect food, medication, therapist, doctor or friend who will help take the edge off our pain. 

For instance, liquid Cherry Flex may relieve your chronic physical pain, prayer may relieve mental anguish, and making new friends or learning a new hobby may just kick emotional agony out of our life.

God created each of us for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10). He has the days of our life numbered (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16). If we terminate our life ahead of time, we deprive Him of our services for His glory. 

God has people for us to meet and ministry for us to accomplish before our life ends. His ways are perfect and He provides for all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Psalm 18:30; 2 Samuel 22:31; Philippians 4:19).

Prayer:

Father God, life is too hard sometimes, too full of negative issues, which drain our energy and make us weary and depressed (Isaiah 40:31). Help us to look into Your face to find the light of life we need to reap and not faint (John 1:4; Galatians 6:9). 

Give us a greater measure of Your grace to lift our soul out of the depths of sorrow and pain, and to direct our life for Your glory (Psalm 130:1). Remind us to lend a helping hand to fellow sojourners on planet earth, to encourage them and to help them to find meaning and purpose in their life as well.

Thought for the Day:

Our light affliction is fleeting and temporary. – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Acceptance With Joy

Read: James 1:2-4
"Knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven."~ Heb 10:34c (NKJV)

I constantly struggle to accept with joy the various negative circumstances that harass my life. For instance, a few years ago we bought a tiny, old brick house built way back in 1971, a 700 sq. ft. fixer-upper. The once dark, paneled walls now stood faded and blotchy. Fiber tile in the suspended ceiling dripped with orange grease, cigarette smoke and age. Old yellowed, metal office blinds covered the few windows. Even after I cleaned the scarred, dry-rotting linoleum kitchen floor it still looked dirty. An outdoor laundry room exposed me to the tropical heat and rains. Permanent pocks marred the reflective film on the windows. This house desperately required a “facelift.”

As the seasons blended from one to another, I finally got sick of listening to myself complain. I realized that I needed to “lift my face” to Heaven with a smile of gratitude instead of a frown of criticism. I thought about the many homeless people who had no dwelling at all. At least, I had a secure residence in which to live. From then on I started focusing on the good qualities about this home. I referred to it as our miniature, antique cottage. I praised God for a dry roof, no termites and carpeting on the concrete floor. True to form, once I changed my attitude, then God miraculously started providing what we needed to remodel.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to focus on meeting the needs of those less fortunate than I am, and to remember that Heaven is our true home.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Allow patience to produce her perfect work.