What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up

What To Do When You Feel Like Giving Up (Job 1:1-2:10)

What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up – a sermon about what the Bible says about suicide and the need to not give up.

The Bible shows in this passage the enormous amount of emotional energy that can lead someone to consider giving up. We have heard this week about a famous comic and actor who committed suicide – Robin Williams. He has brought out many emotions from people concerning depression and suicide. 

Let me say this right now: If you are in the place where you are considering the idea of giving up, don’t. Call out to someone and ask for help. 

I chose this passage because Job is a man who trusted God. Even though he encountered a set of circumstances which did not seem fair, he still trusted God. He loses all of his property and his family, aside from his wife. He gets sick to the point that he feels like he could die. We know this because his wife tells him this. She says “give up.” 

That is what the world will tell you. “Give up.” She sounds like a lot of people and circumstances that will make you think you need to give up. Let me share with you these possibilities which will make you want to give up:

Suicide – The deliberate taking of one’s own life. It is a rare occurrence in Scripture.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES OF SUICIDE

1. A sense of guilt leads to suicide (Matthew 27:5, Acts 1:18-19)

2. Defeat leads to suicide (1 Samuel 31:4)

3. Defiance leads to suicide (2 Samuel 17:23)

4. Failure leads to attempted suicide (Acts 16:27)

DESIRE FOR DEATH – REASONS TO WANT DEATH

Desire for death is more frequently expressed in the Bible than actual suicide. This desire for death is more common expression. 

1. The desire for death in a prophet’s depression (1 Kings 19:3-4)

See also Jeremiah 15:10 ; Jeremiah 20:14–18 ; Jonah 4:1–3 A desire for death does not lead to taking of one’s own life, but to entrusting the place and time of one’s death to the Lord.

2. The desire for death arising from grief and pain (Job 10:1)

3. The desire for death because of judgment (Revelation 9:6)

4. Life hated because of its apparent futility (Ecclesiastes 2:17)

No matter why you feel or think that life is over and useless. No matter what psychological issue makes you think about suicide, God is the only one who controls life. That is why suicide is a sin. 

REASONS TO NOT GIVE UP

God is sovereign over life. 

Job describes this two times in the passage we just read:

“saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” (Job 1:21, HCSB)

““You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:10, HCSB)

God gives life and ends it. 

God gives us a life and we are to deal with whatever comes. Bad and good come, and we need to learn to trust God. 

Now granted, when we read the account of Job, we know that there is a grand cosmic drama going on. Satan is testing one of God’s children. We need to know that behind every physical reality, there is a spiritual reality. Behind every mental illness, there is a spiritual reality. 

Suicide usurps God’s sovereignty over life. 

God is Creator and suicide tells God that you don’t want God to be in control of your life. 

“You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.” (Job 10:12, HCSB)

“For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13–15, HCSB)

“Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, HCSB)

“Do not murder.” (Exodus 20:13, HCSB)

God controls life and more importantly death

“saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” (Job 1:21, HCSB)

Job was a man like you and me. He encountered very difficult, stressful, painful circumstances. Yet, he was able to trust God. 

“Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, HCSB)

Jesus said that the person who trusts is the One who can control life and death. 

If you are feeling like you want to end it all, then don’t. You can get through this. It may be hard, but God will never leave you nor forsake you. Let me leave you with the Word of God:

1. Lean on God and His Word during these times.

2. If you feel like giving up, get out and tell someone. 

3. God wants you to live. The devil wants you to give up. 

“A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10, HCSB)

4. Don’t give up. Keep discovering what God wants you to know until you get your answers to the struggles you encounter. 

5. You can make it. 

#RobinWilliams, #sermon, #suicide, #BookofJob,