Key Thought: You are invaluable to God, who made you for a purpose.
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
· Why is hope so important?
· What are some of God’s promises that offer hope?
· God sees value and purpose in all of us. What are some specific ways we can say this is true?
Start thinking. Ask a thoughtful question.
· How is suicide a wasted opportunity because of a forfeited future?
· Why would the enemy be interested in someone committing suicide?
· If you knew someone close to you was contemplating suicide, what would you do about it?
Start sharing. Choose questions that create openness.
· Loneliness is a gateway to hopelessness. Who can you go to so that you are never alone?
· Comparison is said to be one way we lose hope in ourselves. What are areas of your life you should stop comparing to others?
· One of our LifeGroups mottos is “Life is Better Together” simply put, God created us for relationships. How can that knowledge help you to keep people in your life from feeling alone?
· Share some things you might have missed out on if you had taken your own life as a teenager or child.
Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.
Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being with us when we are in a dark season in life. The enemy is working diligently to separate us from the flock to make an easy target of us. Let us disconnect from the fantasies the world offers and connect with the truth You have established. Let us find comfort and strength in fellowship. Let us be the open arms someone needs. You are our hope and salvation, Lord. We humbly submit ourselves to You for Your work to shine through us so that others may know You as we know You. Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
· Create a ‘go-to’ list of encouraging things you can speak into the lives of everyone you encounter everyday then commit to using your words and access to uplift anyone God puts in your path.
· As a group, make a list of people in your life who seem lonely or alone. Commit to inviting them to community by spending time with them by either going out for coffee or a meal, hanging out, or join this LifeGroup. In the end, make sure these people don’t go alone.
· Be prepared to offer help to those in need. Identify some resources you can hold onto to share with others, such as scriptures that offer hope, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255,) Crisis Text Line (Text “HOME” to 741741,) local resources, etc.
Scriptures
“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.’” Luke 16:25 NLT
“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment…” Hebrews 9:27 NLT
“I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books…all were judged according to their deeds.” Revelation 20:12-13 NLT
“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.” 2 John 8 NLT
“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT
“You must not murder.” Exodus 20:13 NLT
“If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.” Genesis 9:6 NLT
“Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said.” 1 Kings 19:4a NLT
“Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” 1 Kings 19:4b NLT
“Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, ‘Get up and eat!’ He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.” 1 Kings 19:5-6 NLT
“Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.” 1 Kings 19:7-8 NLT
“And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15 NLT
“You confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 ESV
