Questions arise in our minds as to the signs we may have missed or the questions we didn’t ask or even the things we could have said or done differently. And there’s no survivor who hasn’t asked those gnawing questions that begin with “if.” “If only I had acted differently. If only I could have been there. If only I would have been more observant.”

 The problem with the if question is that it looks back on a past that cannot be changed. If raises questions that none of us can answer. And even if we did know the answers, our pain would not be any less nor our sorrows any lighter. “If” looks backward, but faith looks upward.

 What we need is a vertical faith to believe that God’s grace is greater than our worst moments. A faith that declares there is a God who is for us not against us. A faith that believes in the One who works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose. A faith that holds to the promise that nothing in this world can separate us from the love of God, not trouble or hardship or danger or even suicide.

               In fact, I wish to dispel one common myth with which many of us wrestle. Nowhere in the Scriptures does God declare suicide to be an unforgiveable act. Millions of people experience depression, mental illness, and chemical imbalances in the brain that sometimes trigger a suicide. While God may not condone a person taking his own life, God does not condemn him in death.

               Even more, while any of us has the capacity to destroy our body, none of us has the power to destroy our spirit. I believe my friend lives on because God’s love never gives up. Hear these words, once again. Absolutely nothing can drive a wedge between us and God. Not even suicide. God’s grace is greater than our sin.

               Of these things, I am convinced. I pray you are, as well.