God, Google, and Suicide: Thoughts On Suffering

Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people... I have heard them crying out...and I am concerned about their suffering."

I was browsing through my blog patrol the other day, taking a look at some of my most recent blog visitors, when I came across something rather disturbing.


In the "keyword" section of words searched- I found the phrase 'How to Kill Yourself' .  Apparently, someone had searched that phrase and somehow for some reason unbeknown to me, Google had led them to my blog. 

I immediately felt a sense of sadness thinking that just a few moments ago, some unknown person, for some unknown reason had searched such a heart-breaking phrase.  Questions flooded my mind about who this person was, what they were like, and why they may have been searching such a morbid phrase.  I wondered if they were in pain, or suffering.  I wondered if they were alone.  I wondered if they felt loved.   These questions I will never know the answer to, but one thing I DO know: God cares.

According to this passage in Exodus, God's emotions are moved in response to ours.  He is concerned about the things that break our heart and cause us pain.  He is affected by our suffering, and He listens when we cry out. There is something amazing about a God who would take the time to feel for people like you and me...for people like this individual, searching for a way out of their suffering and their pain.,

After the sadness subsided, and I grasped the reality that this individual was in the end led to my blog- I felt a sense of responsibility.  What had I posted that day?  What message did I send?  How seriously did I take my words?  I felt a sense of responsibility, not just in my blogging, but in all areas of my life.  It just really hit me that you never really know who is suffering around you.  You never really know the emotional state of the person in line behind you, the woman sitting next to you on the train, the man shaking your hand at church.  

It reminded me of a story I had heard from a friend of mine last week- about the tragic suicide of one of his friends.  An educated, well-to-do man who seemed to have it all together.

You never really know, unless you take the time to find out...to show some concern...and to allow your self-absorbed self to take a moment off in order to look into the eyes of another.  We are all living this life together, fellow travelers on the same road, all walking toward the final destination of love.

Christians, may we take the time to recognize this as we live our day to day lives.  May we find a moment to really invest into the words we write, and the things we speak.  May we learn to take seriously our interactions with others, and begin to show some concern for the sufferings of our fellow man.  Because you'll never really know, unless you take the time to find out. 

Lord, break our hearts for the things that break yours.