Compassionate Love Blog: Displaying compassion for those who fight mental illness, addiction, and abuse (c)2018 Nancy Virden, Always the Fight Ministries
TRIGGER ALERT – This article discusses a recent suicide
Two weeks ago, a pastor died by suicide. People first noticed his struggle with anxiety and depression (which often come as a pair) in April, and the church board gave him a four-month sabbatical.
After a breakdown, any of us will likely experience the same denial that led us to push through difficult emotions in the first place. It returns to push us out of them in a hurry. We desperately want to be well and meet our obligations. We want to feel normal. Others around us feel better when we are well, too. We move too fast.
This pastor pushed himself to death. ‘I’m OK. I can keep going,’ he said. I do not have details. Did he suffer from delusions? Did he momentarily lose touch with reality? Or did he come to believe everyone is better off without him? Listen to his introduction in his last sermon. This young man needed much more time to get well.
I love that he tried to raise up other people, but I intimately understand how he missed the point with regard to his own health. I’ve been there! I hope no one is condemning him, because he was actually trying his best.
Hear how much he wanted to stay alive. Depression and anxiety stole his ability to do that. There had not been enough time or counseling to reach the core of his needs. One can question for infinity his mindset, yet I know he did not know how to survive what was happening to him. If he had known, he would be here.
Mental illness deserves understanding, mercy, grace, and patience. It is no one’s fault he died. May God bless his family and church. There are many broken hearts.
A man commented on an article following this pastor’s suicide:
I have read the comments, and feel compelled to respond. I have been a pastor of 32 years who has ministered to many people dealing with depression and anxiety. But, I must confess that I never really understood depression until my wife suffered through suicidal depression for 3 years. What people need to understand about depression is that people with severe depression struggle to think rationally and logically. One of the comments below was about someone kicking his butt & telling him how selfish he was. In other words, someone just needed to talk some sense into him. Depression doesn’t defer to rational thought! My suicidal Christian wife actually believed she would be helping our young boys by taking her life. She convinced herself that she was causing undue harm to them. Yes, suicide is a selfish act. However, that is the core issue of depression. You are stuck in an isolated, self-absorbed world of darkness and despair so deep that suicide literally seems like the only logical option…
I hope you will listen to the deceased pastor’s last sermon if you can do so safely. He has much to teach us. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call 988 for the national lifeline or 911 for an emergency. Then follow the process to get well. Don’t rush, give God time to renew your mind.
Today’s Helpful Word
Proverbs 2:2
Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
***** COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME
NOTE: I am not a doctor or mental health professional. I speak only from personal experiences with and observations of mental and behavioral health challenges. In no way is this website intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.
If you are struggling emotionally today or feeling suicidal, or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or for a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.
If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. (for international emergency numbers, go here ), or go to your nearest emergency room. Do not be alone. Hope and help are yours.
Always the Fight 