The chaplain told me Junior was saved and he was a Christian who regularly attended Bible studies in his home. Junior had CTE, the disease caused by multiple concussions from playing professional football.
What makes Junior Seau’s suicide different than pastor Jarrid Wilson’s suicide knowing both men were believers in Christ?
Junior was hiding his condition from his friends and family. Ending up in places and not knowing where he was. He would have anger issues which can be common in those with CTE. Junior was not in his right mind and at the time, CTE was hush-hush in the professional sports world because no one wants to take responsibility of the damage that pro football and pro soccer can cause. There are thousands of other former pro athletes who are going through the same thing in silence. The NFL looks the other way because these men are disposable.
Junior was not in his right mind and I believe he is in Heaven. God knows that His creation took a beating to feed the fans frenzy for the game of football as well as for the league and owners.
Pastor Jarrid Wilson is on the other side of the suicide story. Jarrid was an advocate for those with mental health issues and he told many stories of his own mental health issues. I am not going to speculate on Jarrid’s reason to commit suicide or ask the thousands of questions we all have as to why he didn’t seek more and more counseling or proper medication. The darkness of suicidal thoughts cannot be explained by those who have never experienced this type of darkness. All we know is that's it real.
Let me say this right now. Taking medication is not a sign that you do not have faith in God for your healing. If you get hit by a bus, you call an ambulance and you can pray for healing on the way to the hospital. Doctors are here for a reason.
My issue with Jarrid’s decision to take his life is Christ is our Healer yesterday, today and forevermore. God never changes, man does. Jesus bore our sicknesses and diseases upon His back at the whipping post. Every striped took away every sickness and disease and with pain we cannot fathom, He carried His own cross and was nailed to it. He defeated all our infirmities on the Cross once and for all. While Jesus walked upon the earth during his ministry He healed ALL that came to Him. The subject of healing is a massive one. I’ve studied this subject very deeply and every Christian needs to study as healing will teach more about faith on so may levels. Remember most of Jesus’ ministry involved healing.
Let me take this time to clarify something. Many feel guilt and shame by going to the doctor and feel they are letting God down by not having faith for diving healing. There is no reason to feel guilty. Many need a proper diagnosis so you know how to pray correctly for your healing. Sometimes life-saving surgery is needed and that’s when you pray for the Lord to give divine wisdom to the doctors. The Lord has helped many get favor to have their therapies covered by insurance. I knew a guy who had his $2 million dollar medical bill forgiven by the hospital. Medical missionaries go to remote areas of the world providing medical care and saving physical bodies and saving souls. God works in every area of our faith. I believe in divine healing and if a young person who is a Christian desires to be a doctor, may they do it for the glory of the Lord.
Jesus healed two blind men. In Matthew 9:29, He touched their eyes and said, “What you have believed will be done for you!” God will honor your faith either for divine healing or if you decide to the go the medical route. Just make sure you place Christ in the center of all your decisions.
Guilt and shame are of the devil. Love, peace, wisdom and comfort are of the Lord.
If you are in ministry, make sure you have spiritual support as God did not design us to be alone. Faith comes by hearing (reading) the Word of God daily. Ask the Lord to ‘open the eyes of your understanding to His Words, His ways and thoughts so you can have the mind of Christ. Get saved, pray daily, read the Word daily and let it change you from the inside out and become a reflection of His glory. He LOVES YOU!
Life is complicated and Jesus is here to help us all. There is an answer for everything. Ask, seek and knock as the Word. Ask and it’ll be given, seek and you’ll find and knock and the door will be opened. God’s Word never returns void as it’s full of power. Faith is a noun, a substance we have in us. Belief or believing is a verb so we take action and use our belief in the faith that is fully engulfed within the very God who sent His son to save and heal us.
The subject of suicide is a difficult one. Pray for those who are dealing with depression, frustration, anger, etc. We can be the hand or voice that saves a life. Let’s love with the love that Christ has given us to give. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. When you do speak, speak what God has approved you to speak.
The devil goes around seeking those he can devour. Saints, it’s time to put on the whole armor of God.
And pray for Jarrid Wilson’s wife and children. We need God to do a supernatural miracle in their lives.