I pray daily for a loved one who took their own life a decade ago. I found great comfort in this portion of “The Akathist for the Repose of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep”:
“O Father of all consolation and comfort, Thou brightenest with the sun, delightest with fruits, and gladdenest with the beauty of the world both Thy friends and enemies.
And we believe that even beyond the grave Thy loving kindness,
which is merciful even to all rejected sinners, does not fail.
We grieve for hardened and wicked blasphemers of Thy Holiness.
May Thy saving and gracious will be over them.
Forgive, O Lord,
those who have died without repentance.
Save those who have committed suicide in the darkness of their mind,
that the flame of their sinfulness may be extinguished in the ocean of Thy grace.
O Lord of unutterable Love, remember Thy servants who have fallen asleep.”
Not all thoughts that come to us are necessarily our own. Psychotherapist Jerry Marzinsky claims that negative thoughts that persistently tempt people to kill themselves are demonic attacks. Characterized by a constant harping on about negative interpretations of reality until the victim believes the illusion and acts on it. Marzinsky worked with mentally ill prisoners for decades and discovered some methods to stop the intrusive thoughts in their tracks.
I just had to preach at funeral for a mother who committed suicide. Three years ago, I preached at her son’s funeral who had also committed suicide. These were the most difficult sermons I have ever had to preach. They were very close friends, and had lived lives that incredibly blessed other people. I am an Anglican Priest, but both sermons were for services at evangelical churches where the audience had little to no exposure to historic liturgical faith and practice. In case it might help someone dealing with the suicide of a loved one - here is a link to my sermon from last week. Lord have mercy.
as someone who made attempts, who has been battling suicidal thoughts more often than not, who is prone to despondency and also is bipolar, i want to thank you for this
I'm so sorry we share a similar battle. May God grant you peace and hope! Never is He not with us. He suffers and has suffered our sufferings that through even them we might grow even closer to Him. Feel free to DM anytime if you find yourself dealing with such logismoi.
I have a list of four men i pray for. God knows their hearts, and i pray for His mercy, and for their children, wives, family. It is a devastating blow to have your father kill himself. Like divorce, it attempts to unmake your beginning, your source code.
In one time of my life, I thought I was being driven into hopelessness into a deadend. I prayed to Jesus that his sacrifice and death on the cross may not be wasted on me. Make it fruitful in me. I have nowhere else to go but to Him.
I pray daily for a loved one who took their own life a decade ago. I found great comfort in this portion of “The Akathist for the Repose of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep”:
“O Father of all consolation and comfort, Thou brightenest with the sun, delightest with fruits, and gladdenest with the beauty of the world both Thy friends and enemies.
And we believe that even beyond the grave Thy loving kindness,
which is merciful even to all rejected sinners, does not fail.
We grieve for hardened and wicked blasphemers of Thy Holiness.
May Thy saving and gracious will be over them.
Forgive, O Lord,
those who have died without repentance.
Save those who have committed suicide in the darkness of their mind,
that the flame of their sinfulness may be extinguished in the ocean of Thy grace.
O Lord of unutterable Love, remember Thy servants who have fallen asleep.”
Thank you so much for this. I will be praying it.
Lord, have mercy
Amen.
Not all thoughts that come to us are necessarily our own. Psychotherapist Jerry Marzinsky claims that negative thoughts that persistently tempt people to kill themselves are demonic attacks. Characterized by a constant harping on about negative interpretations of reality until the victim believes the illusion and acts on it. Marzinsky worked with mentally ill prisoners for decades and discovered some methods to stop the intrusive thoughts in their tracks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is93oElehtg
Thank you for this!
You’re welcome! My very best wishes.
Thank you for this.
No problemo friend.
Yes, yes, yes. Thank you for this article.
I just had to preach at funeral for a mother who committed suicide. Three years ago, I preached at her son’s funeral who had also committed suicide. These were the most difficult sermons I have ever had to preach. They were very close friends, and had lived lives that incredibly blessed other people. I am an Anglican Priest, but both sermons were for services at evangelical churches where the audience had little to no exposure to historic liturgical faith and practice. In case it might help someone dealing with the suicide of a loved one - here is a link to my sermon from last week. Lord have mercy.
Fr Ken Dean
https://youtu.be/ljwIi1gxI0Y?si=IyMogvcaNP2O96ow
Thank you!
as someone who made attempts, who has been battling suicidal thoughts more often than not, who is prone to despondency and also is bipolar, i want to thank you for this
I'm so sorry we share a similar battle. May God grant you peace and hope! Never is He not with us. He suffers and has suffered our sufferings that through even them we might grow even closer to Him. Feel free to DM anytime if you find yourself dealing with such logismoi.
thank you, friend! we will make it through, together with Him. i firmly believe in it
I have a list of four men i pray for. God knows their hearts, and i pray for His mercy, and for their children, wives, family. It is a devastating blow to have your father kill himself. Like divorce, it attempts to unmake your beginning, your source code.
Well put.
In one time of my life, I thought I was being driven into hopelessness into a deadend. I prayed to Jesus that his sacrifice and death on the cross may not be wasted on me. Make it fruitful in me. I have nowhere else to go but to Him.