Assisting those who are suicidal

I attend biweekly counseling sessions at the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF). I've been going there for close to two years and had the privilege to attend their last conference that focused on overcoming fear. Since then, I've been receiving their perodical newsletters. David Powlison, one of the people who teach Biblical counseling at the foundation, wrote an article on Help for the Suicidal that I found helpful. It mainly speaks to those who are Christians and puts great emphasis on reliance on God. He doesn't say that God will suddenly "deliver" you from all of your troubles or take away your suicidal feelings, rather he identifies triggers that might bring about suicidal thinking such as personal failure, failed dreams, and false hopes. While suicidal behavior can stem from depression, much of the triggers lie in cognitive behavior.

Ed Welch, also a counselor at the foundation and an author on Biblical counseling, has an article on Loving Those Who Are Depressed (PDF). I enjoy Ed Welch's writing. He doesn't dole out pity on depressed people but at the same time, he's not heavy handed with his advice. He finds the right balance in dealing with the sensitive subject of depression even when it comes to the tricky area of the "chemical imbalance," normally a touchy subject among evangelicals. Then there's this random article on procrastination (PDF) that I have yet to read but I can always have time to procrastinate by reading an article on how not to procrastinate. πŸ™‚

One thought on “Assisting those who are suicidal

  1. Thanks for the link and article. Suicidal temptations are real even to Christians. We need the grace of God to preserve us from doing away with our own life, and to find meaning through our suffering and grace to wait upon Him for deliverance through means or no means. May God preserves His precious children and comfort us with His love and mercies, that we may continue to know Him and His faithfulness, through all the changing scenes in life.
    Take care and have a blessed weekend and Lord’s day!

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