Suicide (friend’s)

It can be incredibly upsetting when a friend takes his or her own life and commits suicide. We are often overcome by shock, grief and guilt, and wonder if there was something we could have done to help. At times, it also unsettles our views on life. Thankfully, with Jesus as our Saviour, we can bring all these emotions and anxieties to God.

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 自杀(朋友) | 繁體中文 > 自殺(朋友) )

A prayer about a friend’s suicide

“Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being the Source of all comfort. Today, I want to bring all my grief, anger and confusion about my friend’s suicide before You, and grieve with You over someone You have created who has given in to spirits of pain, hopelessness, and death. Thank you for being a God who empathises with our pain and weeps when we weep.

John 11:33,35 ESV  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. Jesus wept.

I confess I don’t understand why this has happened to my friend and feel like I need to blame someone, or even myself, for not doing more. I confess my accusations and feelings of guilt to you, knowing that You never condemn anyone who comes to You with a humble heart. It gives me some comfort to know that You were there in my friend’s final moments offering Your hope. If my friend ignored Your soft gentle warning, then there is nothing more I could do. As hard as it may be, I will forgive myself for my self-accusing thoughts and my friend for committing suicide. I also repent for allowing my imagination to run wild to picture the death or any different ungodly scenario. I mourn the loss and miss my friend. I thank you for his/her life and giving me this friendship. Teach me how to keep my eyes fixed on Your beautiful countenance and remember that You are my true Source of peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 ESV  The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Matthew 5:4 ESV  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

I pray for my friend’s family, that they will turn to You for comfort and that the questions they ask about this death will draw them closer to You. I ask that this painful situation is turned into Your higher purpose so that Your name may be glorified.

Philippians 1:20 ESV  as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

May the people around the grieving family be generous with time, grace, compassion, understanding and financial support. May words of life, instead of death, be spoken. I pray that they do not blame themselves. Evil and darkness shroud anyone who loses hope in life and I pray that the family and loved ones do not fall into the same darkness that took my friend’s life. 

John 17:15 ESV  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

I also repent for agreeing with any thoughts that death is better than life. I will celebrate this life You have prepared specifically for me. I will not choose to side with Satan and death. Jesus died to give us life and I will not dishonour His sacrifice and bring a curse to myself and my family.

Deuteronomy 30:19 ESV  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

Philippians 4:8 ESV  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

I may have entered a funeral home where other spiritual rituals may have been conducted to invite spirits to “send” people to the afterlife. In Jesus’ name, I cut all ungodly soul ties with the funeral home, any monks or religious masters of ceremony, and all spirits called upon there in the past. I repent for taking part in any rituals that God would consider idolatrous. I also cut ungodly soul ties with the deceased and command spirits of death, torment, hopelessness and lies, and all other spirits related to the person, to leave me in Jesus’ name. I do not wish to be unequally yoked with darkness and death.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Father, please teach me how to grief. I will not fall for the ungodly lie that I should not cry. Jesus wept at Lazarus’ tomb before He raised him from the dead. God, You released all Your shared grief with Lazarus’ family, and so should I! I confess I need You, Father, in all Your tender mercies and comfort. Please draw me into Your arms and help soothe the tears and the pain I feel. Thank you for being my good Father.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 ESV  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I know that You, oh God, will lead me along my life with Your light. I do not need to fear. Please use this experience to show me to be bolder in sharing my faith with family and friends. Thank you for Your everlasting mercies and grace. All of us need You so much.

Psalm 23:4 ESV  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:6 ESV  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.”