Prayer For Suicide Prevention
Dear Lord, I lift up all of the people of Lutheran Church of H ope who have had or are having encounters with suicide in any way. I pray for the families who have lost loved ones to suicide. I pray for the friends who've lost companions to suicide. I pray for those who have contemplated it and have lost their desire to live. I ask that you would coat them in your love, hope, and grace. Encourage them and make your love and presence known to them. Lord God, I ask that you would raise up people to be support systems to those who are hurting. Help us to be a people full of love and compassion for each other. Bring anything kept in darkness out into the light. Expose it so it can be healed, mended, and restored. Please bring total restoration. Protect us and guard us from any works of the enemy in this area of our lives. Lord, make us to be a people and place that is life-giving and empowering. Thank you for the work that you have done, are doing, and have yet to do. Be with us in everything we say and do, and in all things help us to abide in you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Holy and heavenly Father, we come with open hearts and minds to your feet to lay our burdens down. We thank you for your constant, unwavering, and eternal love, the power of your grace, and the hope we find in your presence. We bring thoughts and prayers this morning for all those affected in any way by suicide. Father, wrap them in your embrace, might they feel your presence, your grace and your love. Make us an instrument of your love, Lord. Might those who are directly affected by suicide know that they are surrounded by a community of those who pray to reflect your love and light on all. We pray for strength for the journey and we pray your will be done. Amen.
Father God thank you for being the God of Life and Love. I lift up those who hear the voice of suicide and ask Father that you will send someone on that they will hear your voice of Life, Love, Hope. May they choosee life and not death on this day. Thank you for the Blood of Jesus that covers them even now. In Jesus name. Amen.
Heavenly Father I want to thank you for your love and constant walk by your side. I ask that you place your healing love and comfort only the way you can, on those who have lost someone to suicide or who are currently contemplating suicide. Help me to be more responsible when I see your children isolating with loss of hope and social connection. I pray that my heart continues to break for what breaks yours. And I pray that my church family will be there for those who need to feel your presence. It is in your son's name. Amen.
Loving God, you have promised you will never leave us. Ever. Yet there are people sitting in worship today who are feeling the most alone they've ever felt. Lives seemingly in despair. Hopeless. Isolation. Perhaps contemplating suicide. Perhaps scared for a friend or family member contemplating suicidie. Perhaps grieving beyond belief for a loved one they've lost to suicide. Perhaps on the other side of darknessa time when suicide seemed the only option, yet they are now filled with hopeyet still struggling with the memory of such darkness. I pray, O God, that you will fill each person here with a sense of your love, your unconditional compassionno matter what has happened, what they've done or not donehelp us to feel a sense of belongingto you, to each other. Help us to feel hopemaybe a small ray of light for the first time in a long time. You said you'd never leave usever. Help us to believe your promise. In your nameamen.
Loving and gracious God, today we are sharing thoughts about forgiveness. A big segment of our church family is coping with the effects of suicide. We offer all these people compassion and not judgment.
Those who are currently considering suicide, Lord in your mercy
Those who are anxious that a family member or friend might be considering suicide, Lord in your mercy
Those who have lost a loved one to suicide, Lord in your mercy
Those who have experienced suicidal thinking in the past but are no longer, Lord in your mercy
O God, we recognize that each of us feel emotional stress and doubt our value. Give us your wisdom and blessed assurance that in spite of temporary hurt or pain, we all have value and purpose, and you will guide us
to joy. Amen.
Lord, as we follow along with our lives we seek you every moment. Sometimes, Lord, I feel at loss with the world, desperate for your guidance, seeking your presence in my life. Heavenly Father, I know that there are those seeking understanding and healing. Whether the healing is emotional, physical, or spiritual Lord I pray that they find You, as well as whatever guidance they seek. As we search for our own understanding, I lift up those who suffer with feelings of suicide, Father, that they would know you. Whatever demons they face, let them know your healing embrace. When faced with terrible strife, it's often hard to see or feel clearly, may the clouds lift from their eyes as they look for answers and see your face. If everyone would take a minute now and silently think of those you know who are hurting, say a prayer for them now. Amen.
Father God,
The darkness has taken hold me and I can't find my way back to the light. In this moment, ending it all seems like the best option, the only option, the only way to escape. Yet, there is something in me that wants your light to snuff out the darkness. So I ask, Lord, that you would do just that. You are the only light that can shine in the darkness.
I know when I'm consumed with thoughts of death I'm believing lies from the enemy. I ask Lord that you would remind me of these truths: when I feel alone, you are with me; when I feel invisible, you see me; when I feel worthless, my value is knowing you and being known by you.
Lord, help me to understand that you are enough, because you are everything I need and more. Remind me that when I feel hopeless, you have hope in me and for me. Remind me that when I don't have the words to cry out to you, your son Jesus is praying for me, and your Spirit intercedes for me with groanings too deep for words. Let this remind me that I am seen, heard and deeply loved.
I often feel out of place in this world. I don't fit in and I'm not sure I want to. Remind me that this world is not my home and while, as your child, I will never fit in here, my time here isn't over. Not yet. Please, give me the desire to live.
When I feel like I don't matter, remind me that I was created with purpose. When I don't know or understand why I feel the way I feel - remind me that you know the depth of pain in my heart, in my body and in my being. You know me better than I know myself and yet you still love me.
When I feel like my death would go unnoticed because my life seems to go by uncelebrated, remind me that you celebrate me and that you hurt for me when I'm in this dark place. Remind me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and I am worth more than I know. Remind me that this life is not mine to take. Remind me that suicide is not the only option. Remind me to love you and to love myself.
As I say these words I know in my heart that you love me and I feel incredible guilt for wanting to take the life you gave me. I feel embarrassed to admit these thoughts to you. I feel overwhelmed that you know these thoughts without my even saying them, and yet you still love me. Remind me that Jesus did not come to earth and die for me so that I could live a defeated life. Help me to desire life and to live fully in you.
In Jesus precious name, Amen.