When the Air Thickens: Faith and Hope in the Struggle Against Suicide

Christmas is a special season to reflect on and delight in the goodness of God. He was exceptionally kind; we must be reminded He sent us His only Son. There are, however, many people carrying deep pain, as sorrowful as it may seem, which does not subside during the holidays; perhaps it only intensifies.

Such was the case for a young man who recently lost a severe struggle against depression. I was not at the funeral but heard bits and pieces of what was shared. I would be remiss to not relay some of that information here, trusting the Lord may use it to keep even one person closer and nearer and dearer to Him.

During the eulogy, the young man’s roommate referenced The Silver Chair from C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, when Aslan, the Christ-figure Lion, exhorts a young girl named Jill Pole with this:

But first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart, and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters. – Aslan

The roommate’s tie-in was that the deceased knew the Lord; the signs in Scripture were familiar to him. It could be said, in a sense, that while he was on the mountaintop, the air was clear, and so was his mind. But once he came down to Narnia, which we take to mean life here on earth, the signs got cloudy, appeared differently, and caused confusion, resulting in despair.

Tim Keller recounted a time when he got lost down in a valley. Eventually, he made his way up a mountain, and from that higher elevation, he had a clear vantage point of the terrain below and where he needed to travel to find his way out. Prayer, for Keller, is how we reorient ourselves to God.

As for anyone reading this, the causes and treatments of mental illness require far greater treatment than can be expounded upon in this blog. That is not to say, however, that life-giving truths can’t be gleaned, especially as they relate to God’s powerful word. Does the Bible give us all the answers to life’s most challenging issues? No, it does not (the air will thicken!). But it provides enough of the answers (i.e., “signs”) to inject life-giving hope in our veins so we can fight for another day. Nowhere is this more evident than in Psalm 27:

     Do not hide Your face from me,
            Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
            You have been my help;
            Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
            O God of my salvation!
     For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
            But the LORD will take me up.
     Teach me Your way, O LORD,
            And lead me in a level path
            Because of my foes.
     Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,
            For false witnesses have risen against me,
            And such as breathe out violence.
     I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
            In the land of the living.
     Wait for the LORD;
            Be strong and let your heart take courage;
            Yes, wait for the LORD.

That is why it is so important to know them by heart, and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.

SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Jesus said, for those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

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By George Shamblin Book News, Family & Friends, Uncategorized 0 Comments