When all hope is lost, God still remains.

To my readers, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for the fact that it seems I've been posting some pretty depressing posts here recently. I promise after this next one, I'll try to post more lighthearted ones. Deal?

Earlier this week I met with a patient at work and could sense something was wrong. If I hadn't taken the time to really determine what was wrong, I would have merely brushed off her pithy responses as an 'attitude problem.' I'm so thankful that I moved beyond my first impression of her. She had mentioned that she had been recently discharged from the hospital only last weekend.

The Holy Spirit nudged me and pointed out her hurt. I could tell she was fragile, as if struggling not to cry. I left her for a few minutes and while back in my office searched for a scripture verse to hand her. I chose Romans 8:28 (NLT), "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." As I went back in to see her, I prayed for courage and faith that God would work in this tiny moment. I gingerly held the verse in my hand wondering how exactly to preface this gift.

I looked her in the eyes and said, "Ma'am, I can tell you're hurting. And I don't know what you're going through, but I know that God does." Tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"He sees your hurt and He loves you. I'd like to give you this verse, and I want you to know that He knows exactly what you're dealing with."

I passed her some Kleenex while she thanked me through tears. We left the room and walked quietly together to the lobby where I wished her a happy 2008.

It was only minutes after I left her in the lobby, that I discovered she had been admitted to the hospital last week for attempting suicide. It had also not been her first attempt either. Immediately, tears welled up in my eyes. I prayed thanking God for blessing me with the opportunity of encouraging her and God-willing, letting her know that she has Hope. When all hope is lost, God still remains.

I'd like to end this post with an anecdote I heard several months ago that I've never forgotten:

Dr. Jerome Motto recounts a particularly sobering bridge suicide occurring sometime in the 1970s. "I went to this guy's apartment afterward with the assistant medical examiner… The guy was in his thirties, lived alone, pretty bare apartment. He'd written a note and left it on his bureau. It said, 'I'm going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.'"

One smile, one “hello”, one door held open might not save someone’s life. But it might.